LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) 鈥� Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson on Friday, just as nearly everyone had expected he would ever since his arrival on campus, and the high-scoring guard figures to be among the first three players .
That top freshman trio includes Duke’s Cameron Boozer, who ; and BYU鈥檚 A.J. Dybantsa, who announced Thursday he was officially part of this deep and touted draft class.
The 6-foot-6 Peterson showed flashes of brilliance with , but he also caused a lot of headaches for the team. He dealt with a severe full-body cramping issue that required hospitalization before the season, and additional injuries and illnesses caused him to miss 11 games, hurting his ability to build any continuity with the rest of his teammates.
Peterson wound up averaging 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc in 24 games.
He started to hit his rhythm in the postseason, scoring 24 points against TCU and 14 against Houston in the Big 12 Tournament. He had 28 points in a first-round NCAA tourney win over Cal Baptist and 21 in in the second round.
鈥淭o my teammates, friends and everyone at the University of Kansas, a heartfelt thank you!鈥� Peterson posted to social media. 鈥淵our belief in me, your encouragement and your constant support have been invaluable every step of the way. This journey has been everything to me, and none of it would have been possible without your love, support and sacrifices.鈥�
Most mock drafts have Peterson or going first overall, though Boozer also could be in the mix.
The closest comp to Peterson has generally been 6-foot-5 Devin Booker, the Phoenix Suns’ five-time All-Star. Both have the ability to score at all three levels, and their athleticism allows them to play much bigger than their size.
Peterson’s announcement came one day after Dybantsa declared for the draft in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts.
Dybantsa led the nation with 25.5 points per game, while also pulling down 6.8 rebounds with 3.7 assists. He鈥檚 the first player to post those averaged in a season and be a consensus All-American since Larry Bird did it in 1978-79 for Indiana State.
Boozer was the third of that trio to announce his long-expected plans, coming after he became only the fifth freshman to be named AP national player of the year. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
That made him a force on the interior, as well as an effective playmaker who could reliably set up teammates out of double teams or while running the offense up top 鈥� notably with him feeding for to eventual NCAA 1-seed Florida.
Arizona freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat also declared for the draft on Friday after leading the Wildcats to their first Final Four since 2001.
Burries had a dynamic freshman season that shot him up NBA draft boards. The 6-4 guard led the Wildcats with 16.1 points per game while averaging 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 rebounds. The San Bernadino, California, native shot 49% from the floor and led Arizona with 59 steals.
鈥淓ver since I was a kid, I dreamed of playing in the NBA and building a long career,鈥� . 鈥淣ow that opportunity is right in front of me.鈥�
The 6-8 Peat averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 53% from the floor in 36 games. The Arizona native is projected as a first-round pick.
鈥淧laying for the University of Arizona has been an incredible blessing and something I’ll always be grateful for,鈥� . 鈥淲earing this name and where I come from means everything to me. It’s been an honor to compete at this level while still being rooted in the place that raised me.鈥�
Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner also declared for the draft with the sophomore keeping his options open to return to school. He is currently projected as a late first-round pick.
The led Vanderbilt to one of the in program history, scoring 19.5 points a game. His heave from rattled out after falling halfway through in a second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Nebraska.
Tennessee freshman Nate Ament declared for the draft Thursday after starting all 35 games he played and averaging 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds. His announcement came in an in which he thanked the Volunteers for the opportunity.
鈥淚 promise to always represent the Vols with the upmost pride,鈥� Ament wrote. 鈥淭his University means more to me than just basketball 鈥� to me it鈥檚 a place I call home. I might鈥檝e only been here a year but I鈥檒l remember this year for the rest of my life.鈥�
Another top draft prospect, Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas, declared for the draft on Wednesday. He joined LSU legend Pete Maravich as the only SEC players to have led the league in scoring (23.5 points per game) and assists (6.4 per game) in the same season.
Ament and Acuff also are widely considered to be top-10 draft picks.
At North Carolina, junior 7-footer Henri Veesaar declared for the draft Friday, leaving a big hole up front for new coach Michael Malone as he
Veesaar averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds after transferring from Arizona, joining star freshman Caleb Wilson 鈥� who previously announced 鈥� in a potent frontcourt duo. Veesaar, who also shot 42.6% on 3-pointers, is considered a possible late first-round prospect.
鈥淭his journey didn鈥檛 happen alone,鈥� Veesaar said in a statement thanking family, friends, teammates and coaches. 鈥淭hank you to everyone who鈥檚 been part of the journey.鈥�
___
AP Basketball Writer Aaron Beard in North Carolina and AP Sports Writer John Marshall in Arizona contributed to this report.
___
AP college basketball: and
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
