New NBA Draft Rumors on Darryn Peterson's Medical Evaluation, Combine Interview Impressions

While there seems to be very little doubt about Darryn Peterson's skill on the basketball court leading up to the 2026 NBA draft, teams are still gathering information about his physical state after an injury-plagued freshman season at Kansas.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Woo, Peterson handled the interview process "well" and teams are awaiting results of his medical evaluation from the scouting combine last week:

"NBA teams are still awaiting the results of Peterson's medical evaluation, which is viewed around the league as the most important off-court piece after he dealt with serious cramping concerns, which he attributed to high dosages of creatine. According to team sources, Peterson came across as quiet but serious in interviews last week and handled that part of the process well, addressing questions about his strange season."

Peterson had a polarizing season with the Jayhawks, in part because of his inconsistent availability. He dealt with injuries to his hamstring, quad and ankle, as well as persistent cramping issues.

Recently, Peterson told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that doctors identified his use of high doses of creatine led to "unsafe levels" that caused cramping so severe that at one point he thought he "was going to die" in training camp last September because of how intense the pain was.

There don't seem to be a lot of concern from scouts and analysts about Peterson's long-term viability. He is still being projected no worse than the No. 2 pick in the draft.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman has Peterson projected to go second where the Utah Jazz sit in his most recent mock draft. Some people in the league have even made the case for him to be the top pick, ahead of AJ Dybantsa.

With just over one month to go before the draft, it certainly seems like Peterson will hear his name called early. Based on the results from his combine performance, the Washington Wizards at No. 1 can't be ruled out at this point.