What happened: Darryn Peterson said no one could tell him he would not go No. 1 until the top selection was announced. He called Utah a great fit and said there is nowhere else he would rather be. The remarks opened his monthly Andscape diary series.

Why it matters: Utah is counting on a top-two selection to accelerate a rebuild after last making the playoffs in 2022. Early public buy-in steadies the rookie timeline entering the 2026-27 campaign.

What to watch: Peterson is set for Utah's preseason opener at Memphis on Oct. 21, with further diary entries to follow during the season.