NBA : Darryn Peterson shines again, Cam Boozer answers back as the Summer League takes centre stage
Two games in and Utahs alarms are already going off far too early. Darryn Peterson did not waste any time giving Jazz fans a reason to tune in to the Summer League. After dropping 28 points in his opener, the No. 2 pick in the last draft followed it up against the Grizzlies with 25 points, 12 assists and a 109-100 win. Across the floor, Cam Boozer also showed why Memphis took him right after Peterson.
Of course, this was a July game. The defence is still half-built, the rotations keep changing and some of the players out there may never see a minute in the NBA. But when two of the top three picks from a draft go head to head, it is hard not to pay a little closer attention.
Peterson was in charge
In his second outing for the Jazz, Darryn Peterson mostly cleaned up the biggest flaw from his debut. Against the Hawks, his 28 points came with eight turnovers. This time, he coughed it up just twice in 28 minutes.
The rest was pretty easy on the eye. Peterson attacked the rim, changed pace at will and found teammates whenever Memphis sent help. His outside shot was not flawless, with 3 made threes from 9 attempts, but he finished 8 for 15 from the field. More than anything, his 12 assists told the story better than the highlights that will do the rounds all day.
Utah handed him the ball and the rookie did not shy away from it. A step-back here, a perfectly timed pass on the next possession, then a burst to the basket. Peterson was not hunting a bucket every trip down the floor. For a 19-year-old playing his first games in a pro setting, that is probably the most encouraging part of his early summer.
Cam Boozer was not there to make up the numbers
The No. 3 pick answered in a different way. Cam Boozer finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, while knocking down 4 of his 5 attempts from beyond the arc.
Less flashy than Peterson, the former Duke man has already shown Memphis plenty of useful things. He can put the ball on the floor, punish teams when they leave him room and create without needing to dominate possession. Physically, he already looks ready to hold his own.
The Grizzlies also got 23 points from Cedric Coward. Memphis hung around for much of the night before eventually fading against a cleaner Jazz team when it mattered.
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Two rookies already making you want the next meeting
Nobody wins Rookie of the Year in July. Summer League numbers can lead to big careers, or to very little. Peterson and Boozer will need months against real NBA rotations before anyone can draw proper conclusions.
For now, they are doing what you want from players taken this high: they are showing up. Peterson has strung together two eye-catching outings and already looks comfortable with the ball in his hands. Boozer, meanwhile, looks capable of contributing in multiple areas without everything running through him.
The 2026 class is still waiting for some of its other headline names to arrive, including AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson in Las Vegas. Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer have already launched their summers. If their first duel only counted as Summer League theatre, do not be shocked if we see this matchup plenty more times down the line.
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