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- Peterson faced the No.1, No.3 and No.5 picks in summer league games.
- Peterson averaged 25.0 points, 5.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game.
- Peterson shot 43.1% overall and 38.5% from three in those games.
Former Kansas Jayawks guard Darryn Peterson, the second player selected in the recent NBA Draft, has already faced most of his fellow Top 5 picks.
In four NBA summer league games, Peterson has squared off against the No.
1 overall pick (AJ Dybantsa), the No.
3 pick (Cameron Boozer) and the No.
5 pick (Keaton Wagler).
Petersons Utah Jazz elected to rest him Monday night in what would have been another marquee matchup against the No.
4 pick, Caleb Wilson of the Chicago Bulls.
I feel like yesterday was kind of weird for me, because I expected to play against Darryn ..
so when I came into the game I didnt have the right mindset, Wilson said Tuesday, referring to his performance in the Bulls 80-63 loss to the Peterson-less Jazz on Monday in Las Vegas.
Wilson scored 19 points with Peterson watching from the bench.
Just reflecting on it now, I just Im a real competitor, and I want to compete against the best players, Wilson added Tuesday after scoring 19 points with eight rebounds and five blocked shots in a 99-87 victory over a Washington Wizards team that was playing without Dybantsa who like Peterson, was held out by team officials who dont want to needlessly risk an injury during summer games.
Wilson, a former one-and-done college player at North Carolina, on Monday was the talk of the summer league after slamming down a forceful one-handed dunk in the fourth quarter.
It has been called the top play of the summer league thus far.
The dunk impressed Peterson, who was photographed on the bench with a look of awe on his face.
I feel like Im different than all of them, Wilson said when asked why he played Tuesday, while Dybantsa sat out.
I cant say they dont enjoy basketball, he added of the players held out, but I enjoy basketball.
I love this.
Im going to play as much as I can, as much as my team will let me.
Im not the type to go away from the game because I dont feel good because I know in the NBA Im not going to feel good some games.
As long as I dont have an injury or something actually wrong with me Im going to play every time.
People come from all over the world to come see me play.
I dont want to let them down.
Back to Peterson: He started summer league play by participating in two of three games in the Salt Lake City summer league.
The 6-foot-6 guard from Canton, Ohio outscored Zuby Ejiofor, the No.
23 pick in the draft, 28-8 in Utahs 103-102 victory over Atlanta on July 4.
Peterson said he was fired up, wanting to make up for a loss to Ejiofors St.
Johns squad in a second-round NCAA Tournament game in San Diego an outcome that ended Petersons KU career.
Peterson two days later scored 25 points to Boozers 18 in Utahs 109-100 win over Boozers Memphis Grizzlies.
Peterson next was rested in a 103-69 victory over Oklahoma City on July 7 in Salt Lake City.
Since moving over to Nevada for Las Vegas summer league action, Peterson has scored 24 points to Dybantsas 27 in the Jazzs 92-88 loss to the Washington Wizards on July 9.
Peterson and Wagler each scored 23 points in the Jazzs 104-82 loss to Waglers Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
Peterson he hit 6 of 18 shots to Waglers 6 of 16 said after Sundays game: They got the W, so I would say he won the matchup.
Im going to watch the film to see ..
but Im always taking me versus everybody in the draft, not just the top five.
He played well, Peterson added of Wagler, a 6-foot-5 graduate of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.
Wagler played a one-and-done college season at Illinois.
I definitely embrace every matchup, Peterson said.
They got the win.
Im going to give it to him today, but Ill see him again either at the end of this (in Vegas) or during the season.
Wagler spoke about the experience of playing against Peterson.
Obviously hes a great player, Wagler told reporters.
Hes a dynamic scorer.
Offensively, he can get to the paint, midrange 3s, all that.
You dont know what to expect.
I was trying to be aggressive, be physical with him, make him shoot tough shots.
Thats what I feel I did.
I feel I did a good job on him.
I should have had less fouls (he had seven).
I have to play better defense that way.
Its something to learn from in taking the challenge of guarding one of the best players on the floor.