It’s good time to be bad in the NBA.That’s because the 2026 draft is shaping up to be absolutely loaded with elite, top talent — a level of depth the league hasn’t seen in years. Sure, there was Cooper Flagg last year (opens in a new tab)” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Cooper Flagg last year and Victor Wembanyama the year before (opens in a new tab)” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Victor Wembanyama the year before, but those draft classes didn’t come close to the kind of depth the 2026 class could offer.Leading the pack is Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, who in just one game has already looked every bit the part of a No. 1-overall pick.Peterson helped lead the No. 19 Jayhawks to a dominant 94–51 win over Green Bay on Monday night in his collegiate debut.The 18-year-old dropped 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting (including 3-of-7 from three) in 22 minutes, and added three assists, three rebounds and two steals.“That was literally the easiest 21 points in 21 minutes of action,” Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb said after the game. “I thought our guys guarded well… I don’t think he broke a sweat.”Gottlieb took it a step further on X, calling Peterson the ‘closest thing to Kobe I’ve seen. Kid is awesome.’Hello there. While it feels hyperbolic in November 2025, the sky looks to be the limit for Peterson. Gottlieb wasn’t the only one impressed.Even Bill Self, who has coached NBA greats including former MVP Joel Embiid, multiple-time All-Star Deron Williams, and former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, liked what he saw from his young phenom.“He makes the game look easy,” Self said. “It’s not that easy. In the first half, he was playing downhill, and he played really well. He’s a good player. His poise is well beyond his years, without question.“Teams will do a good job guarding him. He’ll have off nights, and that stuff’s going to happen. He’s young, but he’s about as mature as any 18-year old around anywhere.”Self-known for his defensive-minded approach, was impressed by Peterson’s effort on that end of the floor.Peterson could be the next great NBA player out of KansasGettyAfter just one game, it’s clear that Peterson has the goodsGetty“I think he could be great defensively. He could be. It’s like the hashtag-potential, which means it has not happened yet. But I think he could be great defensively. I think he loves playing. And the last I checked, that’s 50 per cent of being out there.”Draft analyst Nathan Grubel echoed Gottlieb’s praise, also drawing comparisons between Peterson and the Black Mamba.“This is special stuff from Darryn Peterson,” Grubel wrote on X. “The angles at which he gets that jump shot off from, the take-off point on his drives to the basket, the speed… I mean this is Kobe Bean Bryant type stuff may he rest in peace…”To be clear, neither Gottlieb nor Grubel are calling Peterson the next Kobe Bryant. Expecting an 18-year-old to become an all-time great, win five NBA championships, and be universally hailed as a top-10 player in history would be downright ludicrous.They are simply highlighting the early similarities they’ve seen in the young player, and nothing more. Pointing out the flashes that remind them of a young Bryant.Peterson isn’t the only player in contention to hear his name called first next June, as this draft class is shaping up to be one of the deepest in years.Peterson is widely expected to be a top-three selection in next year’s NBA DraftGettyNBA's GreatestGreatest NBA players in the world right now – from Luka Doncic to Spurs phenom Victor WembanyamaBest players in NBA history to never win a championship – James Harden and Carmelo Anthony to Allen Iverson and Karl Malone10 richest owners in the NBA – family empires, media moguls and investment gurusMichael Jordan’s top 10 scoring games – counting down MJ’s most extraordinary totalsBYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer still have plenty to say about the top pick, and Tennessee’s Nate Ament and international star Karim Lopez shouldn’t be overlooked. A lot can and will happen between now and June.For now, the young Jayhawk in Lawrence, Kansas, is the early favorite.This is a year where being bad in the NBA has its perks, as there’s more than just one grand prize up for grabs.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.