For a moment in the fourth quarter of Utah’s 110-105 loss to Memphis on Monday, fans got a glimpse into the potential future of both franchises.

It was only 20 seconds of game time — just two possessions — but it was a matchup fans on both sides wanted to see all game.

Jazz guard Darryn Peterson switched onto Memphis big man Cameron Boozer, leading to a rare matchup between a rookie guard and a rookie big man.

Boozer tried to back down the smaller Peterson, but the Jazz guard didn’t budge and forced Boozer into a mid-range fadeaway miss.

On the very next possession, Boozer got his get back, forcing a driving Peterson into a tough shot and miss.

It was the second time in one week the two had played each other, and just two sequences in what both fan bases hope will be a long series of matchups.

Because Peterson and Boozer were selected back-to-back in the 2026 NBA Draft, their basketball careers are forever intertwined. The Jazz drafted Peterson No. 2 overall, and the Grizzlies drafted Boozer No. 3.

So far, Boozer has the upper hand, with the Grizzlies winning both matchups against the Jazz.

On Monday, Peterson finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while big man Boozer had 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Both had shooting nights neither will want to remember, with Peterson shooting 5-for-18 and Boozer shooting 4-for-12.

It doesn’t matter that they don’t play the same position or that there’s no animosity between them; there is still some semblance of a rivalry.

“We [are] going to continue to compete,” Peterson said at the NBA Draft. “I’m coming for these guys like I’ve been coming for them my whole career. So I’m going to continue to do that.”

Meanwhile, Boozer downplayed facing Peterson before the season opener and even told The Salt Lake Tribune he’d dap up Peterson before the game, even though they aren’t friends.

And it’s a rivalry mostly spun up by internet narratives, but there’s something there. It’s part of being one of the best draft classes in recent memory.

Cameron Boozer’s father, former Jazz forward Carlos Boozer, has a unique viewpoint on it all.

Carlos, a Jazz scout last season, is no longer with the organization — though he still uses “we” when speaking about the team — because he wanted to spend more time watching Cameron in his rookie season and his other son, Cayden, in his sophomore season at Duke.

But he knows a lot about the 2026 class, and he thinks it’s special.

“All these guys are supremely talented and have a lot of gifts and tools that can help teams right away,” he said. “You see a lot of rookies who are starting on NBA teams.”

He did play a part in the Jazz’s draft process, but recused himself early on.

Carlos said he gave his notes on all the players to the Jazz front office and then let them decide.

That didn’t mean Carlos didn’t hope Utah would draft his son, even though he liked the Peterson selection.

“I think Darryn’s a great fit for the Jazz,” he said. “Obviously, we have Jaren Jackson, who’s Triple J, a phenomenal basketball player with size. We have Lauri Markkanen, who’s a phenomenal player with size. … I was hoping in my heart that Cam could come play in Utah.

“I know Utah would love Cam being a part of it, but I think fit-wise, he fits way better in Memphis because they needed a player like him in Memphis. There was a lot of size in the Utah front court — Jackson, Markkanen, [Kyle] Filipowski and there was a chance that Walker [Kessler] was going to come back. It felt like Darryn fit the lineup a little better than Cam, so I’m happy for Darryn and I know he’s happy to be there.”

That said, Carlos believes his son Cameron is the best in the entire class. Why? He pointed to his son’s overall consistency even if he isn’t quite as athletic as some in the class.

Carlos also noted his son’s ability to win at all levels, able to do almost everything at his size, from shooting and scoring at different levels to passing and defending different positions.

“He’s extremely high IQ, probably the highest IQ in the class, and at the same time, he figures out ways to galvanize his team,” Carlos said of his son. “I think a skill set that isn’t talked about enough is being a leader.”

To Carlos’ point, the younger Boozer showed his leadership at times Monday night by barking out defensive assignments.

Meanwhile, Peterson did things most rookies can’t do, like stopping a big five inches taller than him from posting up or scoring buckets in a way a 19-year-old isn’t supposed to.

Still, Carlos urges Jazz fans not to get caught up in the offensive side of the ball.

Most nights, Peterson isn’t going to take 18 shots. When healthy, he’s behind Markkanen, Jackson and George on the pecking order scoring-wise.

That’s why Peterson has a usage rate of 19.6%, compared with Sacramento rookie Darius Acuff’s 34%. Acuff isn’t shy about letting it fly — even though he’s shooting 33% from the field and 15% from deep.

“Basketball is a multifaceted sport,” Carlos said. “It’s not just about offense. Because when you look at defense, can you lock in? Can you guard [your] position? That’s something else you’ve got to pay attention to. Not just the scoring part of it, but can he affect the game more than just putting the ball in the basket?

“Everybody in the NBA can score, but can you do multiple things at an elite level that help your team win? Can he affect the game when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands?

“That’s going to make him a better basketball player down the road because he’s so used to being able to shoot it whenever he wants to and have the ball all the time.”

The former Jazz All-Star pointed out that Peterson came to a team with two former All-Stars and a borderline All-Star in Keyonte George.

“He’s coming to a team with some awesome veteran guys,” Carlos Boozer said. “How else can he affect the game than just put the ball in the basket? That’s what you should be looking at because you want him to be an all-around star, not just a one-sided star.”

Carlos admits he looked back on his career and wishes he had focused more on the defensive side of the ball.

He hopes the entire draft class focuses on becoming all-around players in the coming years. After all, the players will be picked apart and compared to each other constantly.

Carlos isn’t exactly surprised, as the same thing happened in his 2002 draft class.

“All of us compete with each other a little bit,” he said. “It’s a healthy competition, obviously, but you want to outdo the person next to you. Like, I remember going 35th in my draft class, but I made the All-Rookie Team and was an All-Star before the other guys in my draft class.

“Subconsciously, as a player, you’re kind of competing with the other guys in your class, especially the guys in your position. This class is special, and I’m sure they’re going to keep up with each other.”

For Carlos, the title of best player in this stacked draft class will come down to one thing: winning games.

“How can you help your team win?” he said. “There are some guys who are putting up some great numbers, but they haven’t translated into wins, and that’s going to be tough. But ultimately, the talent of this draft is going to make this draft be memorable for a very, very, very long time.”