Darryn Peterson is destined for the NBA, and has been for a long-time.The Jayhawks star is in March Madness action as Kansas chase a fifth national championship and first since 2022/KU take on the California Baptist Lancers in their first March Madness fixtureGettyIt has not been plain sailing for a storied KU program that has bowed out in the Round of 32 in each of the last two years.Last year, Bill Self’s team was one-and-done after losing to Arkansas in the first round.The 6ft 6in point guard will be hoping he can be the key to turning Kansas’ fortunes around in the NCAA tournament.Peterson is seemingly everything a college program, and potential NBA team would look for in a budding superstar.When he’s on the court, there are few players in the nation who match the talent and promise he does.It has put him in contention to be the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, alongside AJ Dybantsa and Camron Boozer.But 2025-26 has not been easy for Peterson who has missed 11 of the Jayhawks’ 24 games, sitting out due to various ailments, including a ‘traumatic’ cramping event.Peterson compared to young Kobe Bryant by former NBA Coach of the YearIn a star studded NBA Draft class, Peterson was once considered the consensus top selection, but that projection has recently moved in favor of Dybantsa whose BYU team bowed out in Round 1.2007 Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell was in charge of the Toronto Raptors when Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points on his team in 2006.Mitchell sees the same mentality in Peterson, which was why he wanted to coach Peterson during the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in 2024.Peterson was the consensus No.1 pick entering the college season, but the season has been full of challengesGettyPeterson has been compared to Kobe Bryant by Sam MitchellGetty“He wants to be great,” Mitchell said in 2024. “I watched this kid play. I played 14 years in the NBA and I couldn’t even scratch the surface at this stage of my life. He plays well above his level. He wants it. He puts the work in.“Think about it. This kid is 16 years old. He can use his left. He can use his right. He’s got the pullup jumper. He’s got the 3. He’s got the post up. He has everything. “In order to have the skillset like that, you have to live in the gym. It has to be basketball first, second and third, and that was Kobe. Kobe loved the game. He wanted to be the best. I saw that firsthand.”Peterson committed to Kansas as a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2025 class.In January 2025, Self spoke with reporters on the impending addition of Peterson and didn’t hold back on his endorsements.“To me, Darryn’s the best player we’ve recruited since we’ve been here,” Self said.Peterson was described as the best player Bill Self has recruited to KansasGetty“When you talk about a player and a combination of a player and prospect, I think that’s without question. He’s a special talent.”A solid NCAA showing could tip projections back in his favour, he has the talent, there is no doubt about that, it’s a case as to whether he can stay on the court.The hype around Peterson has always been real, evidenced during his time at Huntington Prep high school.Adidas basketball announced in November 2023 its first high school NIL deal with Peterson, in which the value has grown to over $3 million.Just weeks later, he signed a multi-million dollar NIL deal with Fanatics, making him the youngest athlete for the trading card giant.Peterson is yet to declare for the draft, but is already being talked about as one of the brightest prospects in years, but first he has huge footsteps to follow in.The Jayhawks most famous son is the iconic and legendary Wilt Chamberlin who never managed to bring a national championship Lawrence.It may be early, but Peterson can get one up on one of basketball’s favorite sons and most influential figures.Stay up to date with the latest from the NBA across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.