All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall
All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall
— Pink Floyd, Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2
Darryn Peterson is the defining piece of Utah’s rebuild
It would be inappropriate to open this article with anything besides a warm welcome to the newest member of the Utah Jazz, Darryn Peterson. A standout at Kansas, Peterson distinguished himself as the best guard prospect the NBA Draft has seen since Kyrie Irving, behind a symphonic combination of scoring, ball-handling, vicious perimeter defending, and a sugar-sweet
jumper that has worked at every level.
Even as BYU’s AJ Dybantsa distanced himself in the race for the number-one pick, supporters of Peterson’s candidacy remain resolute that he is a number-one quality prospect. Utah feels the same way.
But he means much more than that for the Utah Jazz. In the context of his new home, Darryn Peterson is the final brick in Utah’s prolonged reconstruction efforts. In selecting Peterson second overall, the Jazz have sent out a telegram to the basketball universe, and it contains just two poignant words: we’re ready.
While Pink Floyd may have illustrated a lack of individuality and a mandate for conformity, I refer to the line “another brick in the wall” from a different perspective. Darryn Peterson is a member of the team now, and the defining addition of a team that has been years in the making.
Piece by piece and brick by brick, the Utah Jazz have spent the past three seasons constructing a contender. Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, and Walker Kessler were the first crucial additions in the fallout of the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell expulsions.
Last year’s acquisition of Ace Bailey was a massive step in the right direction. Despite slipping to the fifth pick in the draft order, Utah secured a player who could bloom into a high-level star in the NBA — even if he has a few imperfections to shave from his skill tree.
Now with Peterson, the Jazz have a player who is expected to develop into a superstar; he’s no project.
Are Darryn Peterson-Kobe Bryant comparisons blasphemous?
This fellow here has been compared to countless established NBA players, as is the customary rite from evaluators and engagement farmers.
Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, Bradley Beal, Brandon Roy, and even Kobe Bryant are the electron cloud orbiting Darryn Peterson’s nucleus. That’s a high-grade spread of all-time great shooting guards, and a tall bar to clear for a player who has yet to play a second of NBA basketball. But every player has their own distinct platter of tendencies. So what can be gleaned from what Darryn Peterson has displayed to this point?
Well, if Peterson’s perspective is significant, he models his game after Booker, one of basketball’s best jump-shooting guards in recent memory.
For all of Keyonte George’s strides from last season, Peterson will need to fill in for his backcourt mate on the defensive end this year. He’s the ideal complement for a player like George, who’s become adept at drawing fouls and creating his own shot — so much that his improvements as a playmaker have gone largely overlooked by the general public. Keyonte and Collier, Inc. is a proficient distribution center in Salt Lake City, and Peterson will gladly play the recipient for catch-and-shoot looks.
He’ll need to continue to grow off-ball and as a passer, because he did not share the rock especially well as a Freshman in Lawrence. Pushing just 1.6 assists per night in 20 minutes does not inspire hope that he could become a one-stop shop for all of Utah’s offensive needs — even if the team believes he, like George, holds untapped playmaking upside.
Fortunately, DP creates his own shot with all the grace of a first-chair cellist. He is beauty, grace, and Miss United States with the basketball in his hands, and he has no shortage of moves, athleticism, or shooting touch when elevating for a jumper. He’s got a killer’s mentality, and basketball flows from his fingertips like sweet, sweet music.
He soars to the basket upon eagles’ wings and is truly a revelation when he gets a glimpse of the rim.
This is his biggest selling point: his ability to put that darn ball through the darn basket. Utilizing a cling-wrap handle in conjunction with his liquid jump shot makes Darryn’s offensive game unstoppable — much like liquid held in a pocket of cling-wrap. Metaphorical abnormalities aside, Peterson’s jump shot is one smooth motion — practically as close to one motion as a player could realistically get — while maintaining control and precision. He hit 38% of his three-pointers as a freshman under Bill Self, and this despite appearances that he was a bit restricted by design while running with the Jayhawks.
He rounds out the backcourt in Utah and may be half of one of the NBA’s best scoring guard lines within the next few seasons.
Peterson’s addition gives the Jazz a remarkably complete starting lineup, with Markkanen, Jackson Jr, and Kessler (presumably) adding experience and complementary skills and one of the most air-tight frontcourts in the league, on paper at least.
If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding!
Remember, Darryn, if you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding (that’s right, I’m not done with the Pink Floyd reference). The Jazz are fully constructed and ready to pursue their ultimate goal: a chance at bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Utah. But that goal will never be actualized without a commitment — a whole-hearted buy-in — from the player who was selected to become the organization’s foundational star.
Early reports about Darryn’s aversion to Utah appear to have been completely off-base — just like Ace Bailey last year, what are the odds? — and I have no reservations about his commitment to his teammates, to his team, and to the fanbase celebrating his selection back in the Beehive State.
I have no doubts that Peterson is sincere about his plans with the Jazz. He’ll put in the work, he’ll be a good teammate, and he’ll be the type of player that makes local fans clamor to snatch his jersey off the racks.
Welcome to Utah, Darryn. Let’s get to work.
