Darryn Peterson's Health Raises NBA Draft Questions

The hype around Kansas Jayhawks superstar and projected No. 1 overall pick Darryn Peterson has only grown as the season has moved along. That's pretty incredible considering that nearly have of that time, he hasn't been on the court.

Peterson has drawn comparisons to that of Kobe Bryant, and for good reason. The 6-foot-6 wing poses a near 6-foot-11 wingspan with some of the best three-level scoring ability college basketball has ever seen. He's averaging 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game on incredible 49-42-79 shooting splits.

When Peterson plays, it's must-see television. However, that's also been the issue for him this year. Of Kansas's 24 regular-season games, he's appeared in just 13.

There's no doubt that the freshman sensation is a sight to see for the Jayhawks, but when you look a little closer, the No. 9 team in the nation isn't that much worse, and in some instances better, when he's not on the floor.

Kansas most recently took down an undefeated Arizona squad at home on Monday, a game in which Peterson sat out with flu-like symptoms. The Jayhawks won by 46 points from Flory Bidunga and Melvin Council Jr., who have thrived when Peterson isn't on the floor. In fact, when he doesn't play, Kansas is 9-2. When he does, the team is 10-3.

Of course, the opponent matters for context, but there isn't a substantial dropoff when the Jayhawks don't have the projected No. 1 overall pick out there. Perhaps it speaks more to Bill Self's group than Peterson's impact.

But the real issue is Peterson's availability, because we know how good he is when he's out there. It's just he isn't out there as much as anyone would like.

The 19-year-old has already suffered ankle, calf and hamstring issues over the last few months. That's an issue. The best ability is availability, and it would be extremely disappointing if Peterson's health issues carry over into his pro career.

The question would then be, if the injuries persist, should NBA teams look the other way at No. 1? AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer join Peterson as the consensus top three, and if those freshmen are putting up superstar numbers with more games played, it wouldn't be crazy to bet on them.

Hopefully, Peterson suits up more as the regular season hits its final stage. When he's out there, the scoring looks effortless, with the efficiency and confidence off the charts. However, it's not as if the league hasn't had players who are great when healthy, but have their careers derailed at some point due to injuries.