Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer are already too good for summer league

The noise about the 2026 NBA Draft having multiple No. 1 pick-level players was not hype. The chatter around Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer was warranted. Those young men are special.

They went No. 2 and No. 3 in the draft, respectively, after the Washington Wizards took AJ Dybantsa with the first pick. While Dybantsa awaits his chance to dominate (he debuts July 9 against Peterson in Las Vegas), Peterson and Boozer have already looked dominant at the Salt Lake City Summer League.

Darryn Peterson stands out in Summer League

The 2026 Salt Lake City Summer League kicked off on July 4, and Peterson has not missed a beat. The touted shotmaking that got him Kobe shouts has been on full display.

On Monday night, Peterson and the Utah Jazz outlasted Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies 109-100. Peterson was money from all over the floor, scoring 25 points on a sizzling 8-of-15 from the field. Peterson's 12 assists were the eye-popping box on his stat line.

While many advertised Peterson as a top-flight shotmaker, his decision-making was under-discussed. Some frowned on the idea of him acting as a lead ball handler, but he showed good processing in this one.

Peterson fits the jumbo guard archetype the league is trending towards. At 6-foot-6, he can get his shot off at will and see over double teams. As lethal and efficient as Peterson is from deep, he'll need to get used to doubles. Guys like him rarely get free looks.

He beat doubles with decisive passing. Some scoring guards do not have the innate thought to pass when they get two on the ball. Peterson sliced and diced the Grizzlies, ending the game with 12 assists and only two turnovers

Peterson is a walking volcano through two summer league games. He's erupted for 26.5 points, shooting 53 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3. Seven assists per game isn't bad for a shotmaker either. Jazz fans have one in Peterson. They need to enjoy it while they can because he won't be playing much longer this summer.

Cam Boozer has been the goods through two summer league games

Boozer and the Grizzles fell short Monday night, but Boozer is proving he belongs. Shooting, strength, and good decisions translate to every basketball court on the planet. Boozer is not lacking there at all.

Through two games, Boozer looks like a Kyle Korver standstill shooter. Korver is known for running through hundreds of screens and made-half-his-3s efficency. Boozer isn't that type of mover, but he flashes movement shooting.

The versatility this 6-foot-9 kid has is absurd. He can take ball-handling duties in spots, make open and contested shots, guard multiple positions, and make correct decisions with the ball. There is so much shooting potential here as well.

Boozer is shooting 63 percent from 3 on four attempts per game — complete madness. He is getting a decent amount of space on these looks, but that game plan will change if he's this comfortable shooting open shots.

Utah got a taste of some off the dribble work as Boozer buried a 3 off the pick and roll. He, too, will be a playmaker at the next level. Boozer reads the game like a point forward. He threw hit-ahead passes and top-of-the-key dimes to cutters. Wings like Cedric Coward and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will feast on Boozer's presence and passing wit.

Will the big-man-on-campus paint energy translate for Boozer? His dependence on physicality in the paint was one thing his naysayers zoomed in on. Some say he won't be able to ragdoll NBA defenders. There is a strength gap between college and the pros, but Boozer is going to get his physicality off anywhere. When one is skilled and cartoonishly strong, it's going to be a long night at the office for anybody.

One thing that's for certain is Boozer's time at summer league will be short-lived. Maybe he suits up for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas for a few games. But rookies of Boozer's stature usually do not compete the whole summer. He's simply too much already. Enjoy Grizz Nation.

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