Five-Star shooting guard Darryn Peterson of Huntington Expression Prep made a bit of history on Friday. Peterson, one of the top juniors in the country, became the first high school athlete to sign a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with adidas.
Peterson, a native of Canton, OH, joins a growing list of athletes to sign an NIL deal with the sportswear giant, including University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr and LSU guard Hailey Van Lith. With the deal, Peterson will be partaking in off-court campaigns for adidas’ lifestyle apparel and footwear.
“The separation is in the preparation,” said Peterson’s father Darryl ‘DP’ Peterson. “Darryn worked very hard for this opportunity. What he’s accomplished to this point is very inspiring!”
Prior to coming to Huntington Expression Prep, Peterson averaged 31 points, 9.8 points, 2.8 steals and 1.3 assists while being a finalist for Ohio’s Mr Basketball at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. The 6’6″ guard recently helped Team USA’s under-16 team win a gold medal at the FIBA America Championship in Mexico over the summer.
Currently, Peterson is deciding his collegiate future and has narrowed down his top 16 choices of schools to Auburn, South Carolina, Baylor, Oregon, Ohio State, Louisville, Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan, Michigan State, Kansas, Texas, UCLA, Arkansas, Kansas State and Indiana.
“He is a game changer,” said D&D Sports Network Co-Owner Darryl McCoy. “Whichever program lands him could compete for a national title his freshman season. He’s what you call a five tool player. This kid is electrifying. He can rebound, pass and defend. He does it all.
“Peterson has an exceptionally long wingspan. He plays out on the wing but could go down and play in the pain if needed. His game starts on the defensive end and has a really high motor. Normally, blue chip prospects take the defensive side off but not this kid. He’s an exciting player that not only wins games – he puts butts into seats wherever he goes.”
D&D Sports Network is the exclusive home for all of Huntington Expression Prep’s home games this season, so fans can watch the phenomenal Peterson play all season.
