Adidas made an exciting announcement on Friday about signing a name, image, and likeness (NIL) contract with Darryn Peterson, who is a Class of 2025 basketball guard. This makes Peterson the first high school player to sign such a deal with Adidas. Peterson is a 5-star prospect according to 247Sports and is currently ranked as the No. 3 overall player, the No. 1 shooting guard, and the No. 1 player from the state of West Virginia in the 2025 recruiting class. He currently plays for Huntington Prep in Huntington, West Virginia.
Peterson expressed his enthusiasm regarding the agreement, stating, “I’m extremely proud to join an elite group of athletes with Adidas. I look forward to working with the team as I embark on this pivotal moment in my career.”
Although Peterson has not yet decided where he will play his college basketball or whether he will play in the G League or overseas, he has garnered attention from many top schools across the nation, including Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio State, Syracuse, Texas, UCLA, and West Virginia, among others.
Peterson began his high school career at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and was a finalist for the Ohio Mr. Basketball Award after his sophomore season. Just before announcing his transfer to Huntington Prep over the summer, Peterson helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship. In the gold medal game, he scored 13 points in a 118-36 victory over Canada and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Although Peterson is still two years away from beginning his collegiate or professional career, it is already evident that he has the potential to be a superstar.