Five-Star High School Guard Previously Transferred to Benefit from NIL

Darryn Peterson's college choice looks like it could come down to NIL money due to his previous decisions.

Huntington Prep guard Darryn Peterson, a native of Canton, takes the court for the second half against Richmond Heights at Canton Memorial Field House, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

Darryn Peterson will be playing for his third high school, as the No. 1 shooting guard in the class of 2025 announced he'll be transferring to Prolific Prep for his senior season.

Peterson spent two years at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Ohio before transferring to Huntington Prep in West Virginia.

Huntington Prep is typically one of the top high school basketball programs in the country, but Prolific Prep will open up a new door for him, as they're also a national powerhouse.

NIL seems to be very important to Peterson, and it's tough to blame him. He signed an NIL deal with Adidas last November, marking the first high school athlete to do so with the brand.

If it wasn't for him transferring to Huntington Prep, he would've never had that opportunity.

According to his coach at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Peterson transferred in large part due to Ohio not allowing high school student athletes to make money from NIL.

"We don't have NIL deals in Ohio,” his coach at CVCA, Matt Futch, told The Akron Beacon-Journal. "That was a lot in the reasoning and decision making that they had to go into making this decision. You gotta put yourself in position as a young person to take advantage of that. That can be life changing. That played a major role in this decision because Ohio does not have NIL."

With NIL being an important factor in his high school decisions, it's safe to say it will be a big reason in where he decides to play college basketball.

He told On3's Joe Tipton in the beginning of August that he plans to visit Kansas State, Arizona State, Washington, Louisville, and Kentucky.

Kansas and other programs are also in the mix. He's already taken an official visit to Kansas, too.

According to Tipton, a commitment is expected by November.

Kansas is the school to watch for here when it comes to NIL. On top of their impressive NIL situation, Bill Self is one of the best coaches in the nation, and Peterson understands that.

"I knew a lot about Kansas coming into the visit. I've been a fan of Kansas for a long time, so I knew everything about the program. Being able to talk to  Coach Self was cool. I've never been able to talk with him face-to-face like that. He's a cool guy and a great coach."

Whoever lands the five-star will be in good hands moving forward, as he's an immediate impact player.