DENVER (AP) — The usually stoic Darryn Peterson couldn’t mask his feelings after being taken by Utah with the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft on Tuesday night. His grandfather was crying. His mom was crying. So the Kansas standout got a little emotional, too. “It was surreal,” Peterson said, “to hear my name.” Now, the real work begins as Peterson tries to help the Jazz turn the corner inside a deep and competitive Northwest Division. Utah finished 42 games behind Oklahoma City last season — and the Thunder only got bigger (taking Michigan 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara) and acquired more shooting (picking up Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz). Peterson becomes a complement to emerging Jazz star Keyonte George. “He’s a really talented player and really hard worker,” Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said of Peterson on the team’s website. “He’s a culture fit, a talent fit and a game fit with our organization.” Denver, another team trying to keep up with the Thunder, took UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. at No. 26 but is in the process of sending his draft rights to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a deal to acquire more draft

The players selected in Tuesday’s first round of the 2026 NBA draft. BYU freshman forward AJ Dybantsa went with the No. 1 overall pick to the Washington Wizards. The Utah Jazz followed by choosing Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson with… Source link

The players selected in the first round of the NBA draft Tuesday night in New York: 1. Washington Wizards — AJ Dybantsa, forward, 6-9, 217, BYU Scouting report: First-team Associated Press All-American and national scoring leader (25.5) as a sturdy-framed freshman. Pressured defenses by creating his own shot and getting to the line, where he led the country in made free throws (229) and attempts (296). Synergy rated him as “Excellent” as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls (87th percentile, 27% of possessions) and post-ups (94th, 10.9%). Averaged 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Shot 51%. Scored BYU freshman-record 43 points against Utah. Must improve his 3-point shot (33.1%). 2. Utah Jazz — Darryn Peterson, guard, 6-5, 199, Kansas Scouting report: Scoring playmaker thrives off the dribble, in halfcourt and in transition. Freshman averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Shot 38.2% on 3-pointers, hitting six 3s in a win at Oklahoma State. Made 82.6% of free throws, logging six games with at least eight attempts. Biggest questions centered on availability. Dealt with a preseason full-body cramping issue requiring hospitalization, then missed 11 games for injury or illness. Frequently had limited minutes for uncertainty with his day-to-day status. 3. Memphis Grizzlies —

LeBron James had 18 points, six assists and four rebounds in the first half, and the Los Angeles Lakers tuned up for the postseason with a 131-107 win over the Utah Jazz. Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each had 22… Source link

Blake Hinson scored a career-high 30 points, John Konchar and Bez Mbeng had triple-doubles, and the Utah Jazz beat the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 147-101 on Friday night. Bez Mbeng had a career-high 27 points, Kennedy Chandler scored 26 and Ace… Source link

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jeremiah Fears set a Pelicans rookie record for points in a game with 40, and New Orleans snapped an eight-game losing streak on Tuesday night with a 156-137 victory over the Utah Jazz, who lost their 10th straight. Fears, the seventh overall pick in the draft, shot 17 for 29 from the field and 1 for 7 from 3-point distance. Jordan Poole scored 34 points, including 22 in third quarter, when New Orleans set a franchise record for points in a period with 50. The Pelicans also set a franchise record for points in a game, despite playing without usual starters Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones and Saddiq Bey. While Murphy (right ankle) and Murray (bruised left hand) were injured, Williamson, Jones and Bey were all active, but were left on the bench for New Orleans’ final home game of a second-straight non-playoff season. Poole, who has spent more than half the season on the bench, shot 7 of 16 from 3-point range in his seventh start for New Orleans. Rookie Micah Peavy scored a season-high 20 points, 2023 first-round draft choice Jordan Hawkins added 25 points for New Orleans and 2025

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chet Holmgren scored 21 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 and the Oklahoma City Thunder had a season-high point total to rout the Utah Jazz 146-111 on Sunday night. Gilgeous-Alexander sat out the fourth quarter with the Thunder in firm control. He extended his record streak of games with at least 20 points to 138. Cason Wallace scored 16 points and Jalen Williams added 15 for the Thunder, who increased their lead over the San Antonio Spurs to three games with four remaining in the race for the top seed in the playoffs. Oklahoma City has won five straight and 17 of 18. The Thunder shot 58.1% from the field overall and made 24 of 45 3-pointers. This shooting spree came three nights after Oklahoma City blew out the Los Angeles Lakers 139-96. Oklahoma City has dominated while holding off the Spurs in the standings. The Thunder’s last home loss was Feb. 12 against Milwaukee. Their last home loss with Gilgeous-Alexander in the lineup was Jan. 25 against Toronto. Brice Sensabaugh scored 34 points and Kyle Filipowski added 20 points and 14 rebounds for Utah, which lost its ninth straight. Cody Williams, Jalen Williams’ brother, started for

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 25 points and the Houston Rockets won their fifth straight game, beating the Utah Jazz 140-106 on Friday night. Durant shot 8 of 12 from the field and added five assists. It was the 45th time this season he’s scored 20 or more points while shooting 50% or better. That’s second among NBA players behind Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has done it 47 times. Amen Thompson had 21 points and Alperen Sengun scored 19 for the Rockets (48-29), who clinched a playoff spot Thursday. They are a game behind Denver for fourth place in the Western Conference. Cody Williams led the Jazz with 27 points and 11 rebounds, but they shot just 5 of 27 from behind the 3-point line. Utah (21-57) has lost eight consecutive games and 12 of 13. Houston scored the first five points and never trailed. Tari Eason capped an 11-3 run with less than three minutes left in the first quarter to push the lead to 10, and the Rockets led by 12 after 12 minutes. Utah scored the first five points of the second, but the Rockets answered with a 12-2 burst to push their lead

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell each scored 34 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a late fourth-quarter surge to beat the Utah Jazz 122-113 on Monday night. Mobley set a season-high for points, including eight dunks, and also had 16 rebounds and three blocks. The 7-footer capped the decisive 14-1 run with a three-point play that made it 117-106 with 3:14 remaining. James Harden had 13 points and 14 assists for the Cavaliers, who have won five straight road games and six of their last seven overall. Cody Williams scored 26 points, Kyle Filipowski had 20 and Ace Bailey added 19 for Utah. The Jazz have lost six straight and 10 of their last 11. Bailey made an acrobatic layup that gave the Jazz their first lead since the opening moments at 105-103 with 5:40 to play, but then sat for the rest of the game. Mobley had three dunks in the second quarter alone. The first one started a 13-0 run that made it 44-30 for Cleveland. The other two slams helped fuel a 12-5 run to end the half with a 63-53 advantage after the Jazz had cut it to 3 points. Jarrett

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jamal Murray made 10 3-pointers — including a half-court heave that beat the first-quarter buzzer — and scored 37 points to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 130-117 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. Nikola Jokic had 17 rebounds, 15 points, and 12 assists for his fifth triple-double in six games to help the Nuggets earn their seventh straight victory. Cam Johnson added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Christian Braun had 18 points and six rebounds. Brice Sensabaugh led Utah with 28 points, including six 3-pointers, and six rebounds. Kyle Filipowski added 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Jazz, who dropped their seventh straight and are 3-19 in their last 22 games. Kennedy Chandler had 16 points and six assists off the bench. Murray buried 3-pointers on each of Denver’s first three possessions to help the Nuggets open with 12 unanswered points and seize a 17-3 lead. Each of Denver’s first six field goals came beyond the arc. Overall, the Nuggets went 9 of 18 from the perimeter during the first quarter. Murray had five 3s in that stretch, culminating in a half-court heave that beat the buzzer and put