midst of one<\/a> of the most difficult basketball seasons of his life. <\/p>\nThe former Kansas star dealt with full-body cramping issues that he called \u201ca traumatic experience.\u201d It caused him to miss multiple games, and multiple sources told The Tribune he was never fully healthy. <\/p>\n
Until he opened up about the cramping issues at the Big 12 Tournament, Peterson rarely spoke to the media. When he did, every comment seemed to be scrutinized.<\/p>\n
None more so than when Peterson described himself as an \u201canti-social loner\u201d when asked about how he deals with national media attention. <\/p>\n
Well, that comment doesn\u2019t seem entirely true. <\/p>\n
Not now. <\/p>\n
Peterson is no doubt a bit quieter than many of the brash personalities in the basketball world. Still, he\u2019s appeared to fit in quite well with the Jazz. Multiple teammates of Peterson praised his maturity, work ethic and eagerness to learn.<\/p>\n
Jazz center Jusuf Nurki\u0107 went even further. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never seen in my 13 years a kid coming into the league and be that mature for his age,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I see a person like that and a player like that, I really want to help him. I think so far, he\u2019s been nothing but great. \u2026 Everyone loves him.\u201d <\/p>\n
Nurki\u0107 said it\u2019s gotten to the point where they almost have to tell Peterson to stay out of the gym. <\/p>\n
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson (22) as the Utah Jazz face the Atlanta Hawks in a Salt Lake City Summer Leauge basketball game on Tuesday, June 30, 2026<\/p>\n
Now, Peterson\u2019s work ethic has never been in question. Even in a strange year at Kansas, it earned his teammates\u2019 admiration. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s continued in Salt Lake. And it has stood out to head coach Will Hardy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a very serious young man when it comes to the work he\u2019s doing every day and has shown the ability to be a fast learner,\u201d Hardy said. \u201cOur fanbase will take to Darryn quickly. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s competitive, tough, excited to be here and a great teammate. His transition to our Utah family has been pretty seamless.\u201d <\/p>\n
A busy offseason has helped with that transition.<\/p>\n
Since getting drafted, Peterson has worked on his all-around game and improved his overall strength. He\u2019s also spent plenty of time at the Jazz practice facility to build chemistry with his teammates. <\/p>\n
In the film room, he\u2019s watched a lot of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Maxey and Andrew Nembhard. He noted that they\u2019re all guards who use their bodies well to get to the rim.<\/p>\n
All that preparation will be tested soon. <\/p>\n
Fans will get a chance to see Peterson play in Sunday\u2019s preseason game versus the Denver Nuggets.<\/p>\n
From there, the regular season starts in just over two weeks. Utah travels to Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Oct. 21. <\/p>\n
For Peterson, a successful rookie season isn\u2019t based on stats or accolades. He defines it by winning, which he believes will lead to team and individual goals. <\/p>\n
\u201cImpact and winning are just the main thing on my mind right now,\u201d he said. \u201cSo doing that every night.\u201d <\/p>\n
sltrib.com is now free to access \u2014 no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn\u2019t depend on what you can afford \u2014 especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.<\/p>\n
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