Darryn Peterson family tree: Meet dad, mom, football brother and more from NBA Draft prospect’s Ohio roots originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Darryn Peterson’s lone season at Kansas was often dominated more by questions about his availability than anything he did on the court, but the projected top-three NBA Draft pick was sensational at times.
A 20-point-per-game scorer who shot 38 percent from 3-point range and put a shaky Jayhawks offense on his back on a regular basis, Peterson showed an offensive ability that has some teams viewing him as a future NBA star.
Peterson is heading to the NBA with a strong family behind him, including his father.
Here’s what you need to know about Peterson’s family tree.
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Darryn Peterson dad: Darryl Peterson II
Peterson’s father, Darryl Peterson II, is from Ohio and played college basketball himself at Akron.
Darryl was heavily involved in his son’s high-profile recruitment before Darryn decided to commit to Kansas; he and the rest of the family also played a role in deciding when Darryn would return from injury with the Jayhawks, coach Bill Self told reporters in December.
“[Peterson’s family] made a decision, which I don’t disagree with it at all, that they want him to be as close to 100 percent as possible when he comes back,” Self said.
Darryl was also active on social media in defense of his son during Darryn’s season at Kansas. After Self said plainly that Darryn wasn’t finishing enough games, Darryl posted an Instagram story that read, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” with an image of Darryn sitting.
Darryn Peterson’s father posted this on his IG story today. Kansas plays Houston tomorrow night inside Allen Fieldhouse.
🍿 pic.twitter.com/SK8A9kzEW2
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) February 23, 2026
Here’s more to know about Darryl’s own basketball career.
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Darryn Peterson’s dad basketball career
Darryl Peterson II spent five seasons at Akron from 2001-06, averaging more than 13 points per game over his first two seasons before an injury forced him to redshirt his junior year.Â
Darryl started 32 of 59 games over his final two seasons with the Zips, finishing his career with a pair of winning seasons.
Notably, Darryl’s final two seasons at Akron came under coach Keith Dambrot, who was LeBron James’ high school coach. Darryl was also teammates with Dru Joyce III, who was a high school teammate of James and now replaced Dambrot as Duquesne’s head coach in 2024.
Darryn Peterson mom: Natatia Peterson
Peterson’s mom, Natatia, is a certified midwife in Ohio, working in reproductive and postpartum care.
Natatia is the founder of Your Womb Holistic Midwifery and Doula Services in Ohio and also founded The Strive Collective, a “local nonprofit dedicated to empowering birth professionals and supporting families.”
Natatia attended the University of Akron as well, earning a Master’s Degree in education specialization in Family and Consumer Sciences. Natatia has several midwife certifications, according to Bornbir, and is a member of the Black Midwives Association.
Where are Darryn Peterson’s parents from?
Both of Peterson’s parents are from Ohio. Natatia was raised in Stark County, just south of Akron, while Darryl attended high school in Cincinnati before spending his college days at Akron and settling in the Canton area.Â
Ohio State was one of Darryn’s final four schools during his recruitment, but he followed in the footsteps of many blue-chip recruits by choosing to play for Self and Kansas.
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Does Darryn Peterson have siblings?
Peterson has three siblings: two brothers and one sister.
Darryn Peterson brother: Darryl Peterson III
Peterson’s older brother, Darryl III, went out of state to play college football at Wisconsin from 2021-25. Darryl recorded 14 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss as a linebacker with the Badgers, setting career-highs with 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss under Luke Fickell in his final season.
Darryl went undrafted in April but signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Los Angeles Rams and is currently under contract with the franchise.
Darryn Peterson sister: Dior Peterson
Peterson has one younger sister named Dior. According to her father’s social media posts, Dior is heading into ninth grade at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Ohio.
Darryn Peterson brother: Daylon Peterson
Peterson’s younger brother, Daylon, is a long way away from making his run at the NBA, but he could be the family’s next basketball star. Part of the high school class of 2034, Daylon received All-Tournament honors at the Adidas Earn Your Stripes Battle of the Cities in Ohio in 2025, showcasing “an aggressive style of play that keeps defenders on their heels.”
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Where is Darryn Peterson from?
Peterson was born in Canton, Ohio, and grew up in the area.
Peterson attended Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy for middle school and high school before it became apparent he had the chance to become a legitimate NBA prospect. With the aim of focusing more on his game, Peterson transferred to Huntington Prep in West Virginia and later Prolific Prep in California.
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