These are the freshmen phenoms, the future lottery picks, the “wow” factor kids who are ready to dazzle from day one.
Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
AJ Dybantsa (BYU
Cameron Boozer (Duke)
Nate Ament (Tennessee)
Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville)
Darius Acuff (Arkansas)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Apr 1, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; McDonald’s All American West guard Darryn Peterson (22) and McDonald’s All American East forward Cameron Boozer (12) pose for photos after the game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images \/ Pamela Smith-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Peterson was the first freshman mentioned, which signifies that Vitale believes he could be the best newcomer in the country. <\/p>\n
The 6-foot-5 combo guard finished ahead of other elite prospects such as BYU\u2019s AJ Dybantsa, Duke\u2019s Cameron Boozer, Tennessee\u2019s Nate Ament, Louisville\u2019s Mikel Brown Jr., and Arkansas\u2019 Darius Acuff.<\/p>\n
“Naismith HS POY, can score, rebound, pass, defend,” Vitale wrote about Peterson. “Bill Self’s got himself a big-time winner in Peterson, who is a future top-3 draft pick.”<\/p>\n
Head coach Bill Self knows he has a special player on his hands, and one that KU fans should be thrilled about.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Peterson is widely considered one of the most complete guard prospects in recent history, with his ability to score at all three levels and draw fouls with ease.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Self has even suggested that Peterson could be the best freshman to suit up for the Jayhawks since he took over the program more than two decades ago.<\/p>\n