The Kansas Jayhawks got back in the win column on Wednesday with an 81-69 win over Oklahoma State, but the game was, once again, overshadowed by freshman sensation Darryn Peterson, who appeared to check himself out the game early in the second half.
Here’s the video that has gone viral since Wednesday night.
After the game, Bill Self said, “We’ve had this happen more than a couple of times. I thought he was good to go. We only got 18 minutes out of him. That’s disappointing, because he could’ve had a really big night.”
We’re finally to the point where even Self himself must answer for Peterson’s pattern of mid-game cramping, and that, regardless of what freshman star does in the box score, folks are undoubtedly wondering what this situation looks like in March?
Peterson led Kansas (20-6, 10-3 Big 12) with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including six triples, through a season-low 18 minutes on the floor in Stillwater on Wednesday. That’s some serious ball, and raises fair questions about his continued health battle.
The talking heads at ESPN are already calling his draft prospects into question.
Self’s frustration with the situation this late into the campaign gives us an insight into just how hands-off he is with Peterson’s recovery, and even Kansas’ head coach, who’ll earn upwards of $13 million this season, can’t say with certainty whether his highly-touted prospect will fully recover before the road ends.
“It’s a concern,” Self said. “I thought we were past it, but obviously we’re not. It’s certainly a concern. You get into the NCAA Tournament, you’re playing a team just as good as you and you need to have all your best players available, so to speak. Yeah, all it takes is one day like that to derail not only a game, but a season. Yeah, it’s concerning, but I do think we’re making progress with it.”
Self has a history of motivating his locker room via the press, and his comments above signal more than just Peterson.
Kansas has a talented roster without Darryn on the floor, and any doubt about that fact can send their complaints to Allen Fieldhouse, 1651 Naismith Drive, where the Jayhawks handed then-unbeaten No. 1 Arizona its first loss of the season. Put a healthy Peterson on the floor, and Kansas sits in the upper echelon of national title contenders.
Returning home, the Jayhawks have another tune-up opportunity against Cincinnati (14-12, 6-7 Big 12) on Saturday before a crucial Big 12 matchup with No. 2 Houston at home on Monday night.
