Potential Nets 2026 NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson officially declares

The Brooklyn Nets are home for the summer given that their 20-62 record at the end of the 2025-26 NBA season did not qualify them to participate in the postseason. For their troubles, Brooklyn currently has the third overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft prior to the Lottery on May 10 and one of the players that the Nets could be considering just officially declared for the draft.

"To my teammates, friends, and everyone at the University of Kansas, a heartfelt thank you! Your belief in me, your encouragement, and your constant support have been invaluable every step of the way," Peterson wrote in part on his Instagram post on Friday. Even before this season began, Peterson was projected to be one of the top players in the 2026 class so it wasn't surprising to see him declaring for the draft.

"After much reflection and prayer, I am proud to announce my decision to declare for the NBA Draft. This has been my lifelong dream, and I am excited for the future," Peterson wrote. As of this writing, Peterson is projected by many around the NBA to be the second best player in the class behind BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, who officially declared for the draft on Thursday.

Peterson, 18, finished his one-and-done freshman season at Kansas with averages of 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 38.4% from behind the three-point line. Peterson was even better in the NCAA Tournament as he led the Jayhawks by averaging 24.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 41.0% from the floor and 36.8% from deep.

Granted, Kansas was knocked out of the Tournament in the second round by Rick Pitino and St. John's, but Peterson had already proven that he was an incredibly impactful player by that point. The Nets will have to weigh whether Peterson's persistent cramping issues are a reason to drop him down their board, but in the meantime, he has made it clear that he is ready to take his game to the next level, potentially in Brooklyn.