Darryn Peterson Breaks Silence on Missed Games for Kansas This Season

Kansas basketball freshman Darryn Peterson has received a lot of criticism from fans and the national media lately due to the number of missed games and the lack of playing time he’s put forth over the course of the season.

To date, Peterson has missed 11 games for the Jayhawks and has played less than 25 minutes in seven of the 16 games he has been available for this year. The reasons have varied from hamstring issues to an ankle injury to cramping – yet some have started to doubt whether it’s been physical limitations that have held him back or if there’s something else at play.

Some have argued that Peterson is purposely being held out of games as part of a “load management” regime to keep him in play for the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft this summer. Some have suggested maybe he just doesn’t have the same competitive drive as his peers.

Despite evidence to the contrary of those theories, Peterson has gained somewhat of a conflicted image in the eye of college basketball fans and those who cover the sport.

Peterson responded to the criticism in a recent interview with ESPN’s Myron Medcalf held sometime in between KU’s win over previously No. 1 Arizona and their win at Oklahoma State.

"Everybody's got an opinion on it," Peterson said. "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."

The only way these accusations were ever going to quiet down for Peterson was if he addressed them directly and/or started playing a full game of basketball on a consistent basis. Now that he has done the former, it will be up to his critics as to whether or not they choose to believe him.

Regardless, all Peterson should be focused on at this point is trying to be the best basketball player that he can be. If he does that – especially in the postseason – no one will care about all the ups and downs he went through this year. NBA scouts and Kansas fans alike will see that he battled through adversity and performed when it mattered most.

After all, those are the moments the great ones live for.