Should Kansas stop Darryn Peterson or let him fight through the pain? That question was on everyone’s mind after the freshman star limped off the court after Saturday’s overtime win. Bill Self’s comments after the game didn’t help; he only talked about tightness without going into much detail. As the No. 19 Jayhawks play Towson, the mystery deepens, as no one knows if their possible No. 1 draft pick will play or not. But a former Kansas coach spoke out.
Norm Roberts talked on *The Field of 68: After Dark* YouTube channel, and said that Peterson is still focused on getting better.
“There hasn’t been any talk about him shutting it down. All the talk has been about working to get back on the court. Watching that kid work, and his teammates watching him work, is a big key. They respect that effort every day. It’s helped the team grow, and they’ve gotten better; they’re not as good without Darren, but they’ve learned to win without him,” the coach explained.
This statement is important because Peterson has made a real difference, even though he hasn’t been available much. Peterson has shown the skills of a potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick in just four games this season. He scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds, and handed out four assists in 31 minutes against NC State. The second half was especially good for him, as he scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Kansas is still competitive without him, but Peterson makes the team much more dynamic when he’s on the floor.
On the other hand, Bill Self, the head coach, talked on the Inside Pack Sports YouTube Channel, which gave a more unclear context.
“I think he was getting tight. I haven’t talked to the doctor or trainer yet, but he said he needed to come out. He’s experienced this tightness every game we’ve played. I was happy he got that deep into the game, though it’s happened at the start of the second half in every other game,” Self stated.
This is where it gets strange. Peterson only scored five points in the first half, but in the second half, he shot very well and scored 12 points. But he pulled out with 2:15 left. After that, he walked to the bus without a limp. Is the hurt real or not? No one can answer that question. Ultimately, for now, Peterson’s availability is still unknown as Kansas gets ready for Tuesday’s game against Towson.
Darryn Peterson should rest for the next two games
This schedule gives Kansas a present. Towson and Davidson come before the conference tip-off on January 3rd, giving the Jayhawks two opponents they can handle without Peterson. We already have proof: they beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi by 31 points and won three games in a row at the Players Era Festival while he was out. These wins showed that Kansas can do just fine without its star freshman.
The real concern needs to be addressed immediately. Peterson’s cramps in every game don’t just happen by chance. A player of his level shouldn’t go through this pattern; it means his hamstring injury never really healed. Self and his doctors might not know everything that is wrong with him. Playing him through this only makes a minor problem into a season-ending injury.
It makes perfect sense to bench Peterson for these two games. Now that he has had some time to rest, he can go into conference play fully healed instead of limping through on empty reserves. His body needs three weeks of real rehabilitation before the Big 12 competition starts to heal.
Kansas needs a healthy Peterson for the tournament runs in March, not one that is limping through December tune-ups with a broken leg. Taking care of him now will help the program win more championships in the future.