Rookie No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson spent a day off with the Utah Jazz in the film room, breaking down his Las Vegas Summer League debut with coach Will Hardy and placing a particular emphasis on defensive technique the staff calls “Raven,” a wingspan-based shifting concept named in part for safety Ed Reed, according to ESPN.
Hardy, 38, said the coach-and-player conversation revealed that the 19-year-old Peterson needed a primer on Reed, so they detoured to YouTube highlights. Peterson, a native of Canton, Ohio, whose father Darryl grew up in Cincinnati, reacted to the clips with a mix of respect and hometown loyalty: “He was nice,” Peterson said, then added, “I’m a Bengals guy. I’m sorry, Ed,” according to ESPN.
Peterson declined a pre-draft visit to Salt Lake City because he believed he should have been selected at No. 1. The Washington Wizards instead selected BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, who is scheduled to face Peterson and the Jazz in Thursday’s prime-time Las Vegas Summer League game (9 p.m. ET, ESPN), according to the report.
Utah views the early returns from summer play as a sign the franchise’s rebuild could be nearing an end. After 17 days and two Salt Lake City Summer League games, the organization cited Peterson’s upside combined with the breakout potential of fourth-year guard Keyonte George and additions such as 2025 No. 5 pick Ace Bailey and midseason acquisition Jaren Jackson Jr. as reasons for optimism. “It’s time to win,” Peterson said of joining the young core, according to ESPN.
George has maintained a steady presence around the summer squad, attending every practice and sitting courtside with Jackson and other veterans for each of Utah’s three Salt Lake City games, according to ESPN. He had planned to join the Jazz bench as a volunteer assistant for the Las Vegas opener but was not cleared by the NBA office. George has established a mentoring relationship with Peterson, offering guidance on the finer points of NBA guard play, the report said.
