Kansas Basketball Fans Are Asking the Wrong Question About Darryn Peterson

For the last few months now, the primary topic of conversation among many Kansas basketball fans has been something along the lines of “What is going on with Darryn Peterson?”

It’s not hard to understand why. Peterson has missed 11 of KU’s 28 games this season, starting with the Champions Classic versus Duke back in November. Since then, it’s been a guessing game as to whether Peterson would play or if he’d be able to play a full game.

The conversation has even reached the national stage recently with basketball analysts on several sports television and radio shows weighing in on Peterson and what’s been plaguing him. But talking is what they get paid to do. Most of them don’t watch every KU game or pay attention like Jayhawk fans do.

Which is why for Kansas fans, it’s time to put the past behind and focus on the future when it comes to Peterson’s availability.

Moving Forward

Peterson came out and addressed his absences publicly in an ESPN interview published earlier this week, refuting the narratives that have been swirling about his ability or desire to play.

"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."

Whether you choose to believe his reasoning for why he’s missed game time or not, it does no good at this point to keep trying to poke holes in his or his family’s responses about the matter. He’s missed time. It’s been frustrating. And there may be a time to look back and ask those questions about why he sat out and what could have been, but it is not now.

Each year, a Kansas basketball season is ultimately judged by how the team plays in March. So, the only questions we should be asking ourselves right now is will Peterson play in the NCAA Tournament and does this team have time to gel with him being in the lineup more consistently (averaging 31 minutes of playing time the last two games) prior to when the tournament starts.

KU has played well at times in his absence this season, but come postseason, it’s all about having players – particularly guards – who can make big shots and big plays. Peterson can make those plays better than anyone on the court when he’s on his game, and KU will need him if they hope to reach another Final Four and earn head coach Bill Self his third national championship.

That is the only discussion we should be having about Peterson at this point in the season.