Kansas star Darryn Peterson appeared to be a lock to be the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft not too long ago, but his stock has started to fall. Peterson has missed 11 games for the Jayhawks in his freshman season and has taken himself out of some contests as well, leading to questions about his love for the game.
Peterson has come under fire from the national media, but he isn’t too bothered by it. The 19-year-old made it clear he isn’t paying attention to all the outside noise when asked about the criticism in his press conference following Kansas’ 69-56 win over No. 5 Houston on Monday.
“Kind of normal this year,” Peterson said. “Somebody’s had something to say, probably, after every game this year. So, I don’t really pay attention to it anymore.”
This isn’t easy to do in this social media era, but Peterson, who had 14 points (5-14 FG), four rebounds, and one assist against Houston, explained how he is able to stay in his own bubble.
“I’ve kind of been an anti-social loner my whole life, kind of, so I kind of just deal with it on my own,” Peterson added.
Peterson has dealt with cramping, hamstring, and ankle injuries this season. Most recently, the 6’6″ guard sat out Kansas’ 82-78 win over No. 1 Arizona on Feb. 9 because of flu-like symptoms. Then just nine days later, Peterson took himself out in the second half of the 81-68 win over Oklahoma State because of cramps.
With all that in mind, you can understand why Peterson’s stock is falling and why doubts have started to creep in about whether he should go No. 1. Even if you don’t doubt his passion for the game, the injuries are worrying.
The last thing a team wants is to use that top selection on someone who struggles to stay on the court. On the flip side, you don’t want to be the team that gets mocked for stupidly passing on a great talent. That’s the dilemma right now.
When Peterson has been on the court, he has impressed. He is averaging 19.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Jayhawks. Peterson has been efficient, too, shooting 47.2% from the field and 40.5% from beyond the arc. The talent is undeniable, and he has drawn comparisons to the late Kobe Bryant.
CJ McCollum thinks Peterson, who was born in Canton, could turn out to be Ohio’s best prospect since LeBron James. McCollum reckons he could have played in the NBA last season, which tells you just how highly he rates the teenager.
Stephen A. Smith’s Message To Darryn Peterson
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has been one of Peterson’s most vocal critics. Following that Oklahoma State contest, Smith sternly stated on First Take on Thursday that no team should select him with the first pick because he cannot be trusted.
So, when Peterson told ESPN that basketball is his life and that he would have played every game if he could, Smith had a message for him on Tuesday’s episode of First Take,
“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Smith said. “It’s his life, and he’s coming to the defense of his own self, which I respect. I’ve never met him. I don’t know him. Most people that’s covering the NBA can say the same thing.
“But what he has to understand as a young man growing into manhood is that your actions speak louder than your words,” Smith continued. “And the reality is that you’ve missed 11 or 12 games in your first collegiate season for stuff like cramps, and the flu, and you’ve let Coach [Bill] Self know, according to reports, minutes before a game that you couldn’t go.
“And people are deducing you’re going from 30, 35 games potentially in a collegiate season to 82 games during the regular season and beyond if it’s the postseason and you’re already showing an inability to be relied upon in terms of your availability,” Smith added. “That’s reality. Those are facts.”
You do have to be at least a little bit worried about whether Peterson’s body will hold up. You’d hope it does, as he has all the tools to be a massive success in the NBA.
