In the run-up to next week’s 2026 NBA Draft, top prospect Darryn Peterson had a meeting with the Washington Wizards and reportedly doesn’t intend to meet with any other teams, according to ESPN’s Sham Charania and Jeremy Woo.
The Wizards currently have the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Peterson’s choice to limit his meetings has caught the attention of other lottery teams, including the Utah Jazz, who possess the second pick.
Interestingly, Utah has a history of drafting players who have not engaged with them. General Manager Austin Ainge previously selected Ace Bailey at fifth overall, despite the player’s decision to skip workouts with the team.
What makes Peterson’s move intriguing is the presence of AJ Dybantsa, a former BYU standout, who is widely expected to be the No. 1 pick. The 6-foot-9 forward led the nation in scoring, a feat last achieved by a freshman when Trae Young did it for Oklahoma in 2018, which means Peterson’s selection at No. 1 is not a certainty.
If selected, he would have the most missed games by a No. 1 overall pick since Kyrie Irving was taken by the Cavaliers in 2011.
It was reported in May that Peterson was dealing with debilitating cramping. Tests after the season found his use of high doses of creatine created the condition.
The Wizards won the rights to the first overall selection after going 17-65 last season.
“It’s our fans that have endured the most,” Wizards top basketball executive Michael Winger said. “And to me, this No. 1 pick is for them. It’s a reward for hanging in there with us. It’s a reward to continue to support us despite sometimes really bad basketball. They knew and they supported a multiyear teardown, a multiyear reinvention of the franchise.”