It has been quite the freshman season for top NBA prospect Darryn Peterson, who had a major opportunity Monday night to take the floor for the Kansas Jayhawks as they faced the undefeated, No. 1–ranked Arizona Wildcats.
However, less than an hour before tipoff, Peterson was ruled out due to illness, marking his 11th missed game of the season. Nine of those absences stemmed from a hamstring injury, while another was the result of a tweaked ankle.
When he has been on the floor, Peterson has shown just how talented he is, averaging 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Still, the repeated absences have sparked growing backlash from fans, with some beginning to question his commitment and desire to compete.
Coming to Peterson’s defense, however, was an anonymous NBA general manager who pushed back on the backlash surrounding his absences this season, according to Field of 68.
“I think people are overreacting. I don’t know if anyone has enough information yet. It’s not that big of a deal to me if he can play the last month of the season,” the GM said.
“We’ve got guys in the NBA who miss two months with a strained hamstring. A lot of teams would have shut him down for the rest of the season already. People have to pump the brakes.
“People get the flu. People also have to remember this is just a small snapshot of his entire career. I still think he’s probably the No. 1 pick, but we’ll see.”
Peterson is viewed by many as the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick, but he is competing with several high-level freshmen in this year’s class. With the NCAA Tournament just around the corner, it presents a major opportunity for all involved to continue making a name for themselves.
Peterson is joined by AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Kingston Flemings, Caleb Wilson, and Mikel Brown as some of the top freshmen expected to be selected within the top seven picks.