Darryn Peterson reveals stunning goals for Jazz rookie season

The NBA Draft's first two picks went as planned, with AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson becoming the first and second selections for the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, respectively. For several weeks, analysts believed Peterson might move ahead of Dybantsa to become the first pick. However, he landed with a struggling Utah team, and going second may have provided Peterson some strong motivation to prove his naysayers wrong. After becoming the No. 2 pick, he spoke with reporters at a draft press conference, sharing some ambitious goals for his rookie season. "Play all 82 games. Coming off my year at Kansas, I didn't get to play in all the games I wanted to. My first goal is to play all 82," Peterson said. "Make the playoffs. Try to get a ring." Playing in all 82 games is the most realistic, but Peterson's latter two goals seem like a stretch. The Jazz finished at 22-60 last season and were nowhere near the postseason, and play in a seriously stacked Western Conference. Read more: Trae Young Trolls New Teammate AJ Dybantsa During NBA Draft The Jazz last made the playoffs in 2021-22, but it was a much different roster. That team also still had All-Star player Donovan Mitchell in their lineup before he left for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They've since changed quite a bit, and their current roster isn't terrible. In addition to adding Peterson, they added two-time All-Star and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. in a trade last season. Talented big man Lauri Markkanen was injured in practice back in February, so his return to the lineup in 2026-27 is also a major boost for this Jazz team. Still, they'll have a tough battle in the West to reach the postseason, contending with teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets. Peterson, who averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in 24 games at Kansas, also put the league on notice about not going first overall, suggesting that he will have something to prove now. "I’ll have a chip on my shoulder my whole career. I’ll take it out not just on [AJ Dybantsa], but on everybody," he also told reporters. Those are the comments of a player intent on showing the NBA that he was more deserving of becoming the top pick than Dybantsa. Among the players some have compared his talents to are Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who are certainly some high-level stars capable of taking over games and guiding teams to success. More news: Yaxel Lendeborg Has Emotional Reaction to Joining Warriors at NBA Draft For more about the NBA Draft, head over to Newsweek Sports.