Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson keeps leaving games early due to injury issues, raising questions about his durability and commitment. That has led Peterson to come out and defend himself.
In a new interview, Peterson denied that his absences have anything to do with trying to keep himself fresh for the NBA Draft or any other theory. He said if it were up to him, he would have played every game this season.
“Everybody’s got an opinion on it,” Peterson told ESPN’ between the Arizona and Oklahoma State games’s Myron Medcalf recently. “But basketball is my life. If I could have been out there every game this year, I would have. If you would have asked me last year, what were my goals for this year, I would never mention missing games. So all this stuff kind of just happened, but I’ve got to deal with it.”
Peterson’s denial is unlikely to win him any converts, with some even going as far as to say that his lack of availability should impact his draft stock. Even coach Bill Self is starting to sound frustrated, though he has continuously defended Peterson and said the lack of availability is not Peterson’s choice. The freshman has dealt with foot and hamstring problems, as well as repeated cramping during games.
Peterson played 32 minutes in Kansas’ loss to Cincinnati, though he scored just 17 points. His status and ability to play to his capability will be a major storyline for the Jayhawks for the rest of the season.
