Kansas guard Darryn Peterson opened a can of worms when he only lasted 18 minutes in the No. 8 Jayhawks’ 81-69 win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Wednesday evening. After dropping 20 points in the first half of the contest, Peterson indicated to coach Bill Self to take him out of the game after just three minutes of second-half action.
Peterson’s actions elicited widespread criticism from both fans and analysts, accusing him of load managing his minutes and questioning his NBA draft stock status.
NCAA Insider Weighs In on Darryn Peterson Injury Debate
Field of 68 analyst Jeff Goodman weighed in on the controversy surrounding Peterson and how his camp could have avoided the discourse about him ducking games with an open stance rather than the current cloak-and-dagger approach.
“Here’s what makes this Darryn Peterson situation even worse. Peterson and his camp have offered no real explanation on what’s going on all season. It’s called terrible PR. Just come out and explain the situation because obviously Bill Self has been and still is trying to protect the kid,” Goodman tweeted.
The talented Peterson has missed 11 Jayhawks games this season, with issues ranging from a sprained ankle, a quad injury, cramping, and a hamstring injury to being a late omission for the game against the Arizona Wildcats due to flu-like symptoms.
Bill Self Offers Peterson Advice
During Friday’s media availability ahead of the Jayhawks’ game against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday, coach Bill Self offered Peterson advice on how to deal with the current narrative about his commitment to basketball.
“There is a way to change the narrative, play, finish,” Self said. “Now, if his body allows him to, fantastic. If it doesn’t allow him to, then they’ll say something again the next game. But that’s the way to get people to quit talking.
“It’s not me saying it’s not fair, I don’t think that really keeps anybody from having an opinion at a national level or on this level or any level to be quite candid, but I do think it’s easy for everybody to say what’s happening within a situation that really doesn’t know the situation.”
In what is considered one of the most talented draft classes in recent times, the talented Peterson has shown enough flashes of brilliance to be considered a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft alongside BYU Cougars star AJ Dybantsa.
Despite his persistent unavailability during Kansas games, Peterson is still averaging 20 points on 48.5% shooting from the floor and 43.1% shooting from beyond the arc, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists for the Big 12-chasing Jayhawks.
