Does Kansas basketball have its own “Black Mamba?” Darryn Peterson already is earning rave reviews even before facing BYU's AJ Dybantsa on Saturday. Except the Jayhawks talent earned Kobe Bryant comparisons ahead of the massive Big 12 showdown.
ESPN college sports analyst Pete Thamel revealed what he heard from scouts involving the blue chip freshman.
“One scout compared his shot making to Kobe Bryant,” Thamel said.
We have BYU at Kansas tipping off now on @espn. Here’s your NBA Draft subplot primer. Who will go No. 1? https://t.co/6ex7rbKIO6
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 31, 2026
That's a strong comparison considering how revered the late Bryant became on the shot selection end. Bryant helped create his own shooting opportunities on multiple occasions that helped lead to five NBA titles.
Thamel, though, revealed another comparison attached to Peterson per his conversation with league scouts.
Who else Darryn Peterson got compared to outside of Kobe Bryant
Thamel mentioned a current NBA superstar who scouts compared to Peterson.
“Another popular comp is Devin Booker,” Thamel said, referring to the Phoenix Suns NBA All-Star guard.
Peterson is averaging 21.6 points per game this season along with 4.6 rebounds. The freshman from Canton, Oh., is shooting at 49.3% from field goal range.
The scouts Thamel spoke with aren't the only ones raving about the 19-year-old. Former NBA player turned college basketball analyst Wally Szczerbiak is another who spoke highly of Peterson — but this freshman class in general.
“I think the five best players in college basketball are freshmen,” Szczerbiak said inside the CBS Sports studio. “You look at Boozer, Dybantsa, Peterson, [Kingston] Flemings and [Darius] Acuff. Shot-makers all over the place. Three freshmen at 40-plus points last Saturday. Can't wait to see what's in store for these guys the rest of the year.”
Peterson got his chance to share the floor with Dybantsa for the first time this season. His Jayhawks took a commanding 21-point lead early before halftime with Peterson dropping 16 points in his first 15 minutes of action.
