Darryn Peterson’s NCAA college career has shown glimpses of brilliance, yet has been limited by his inability to stay on the court.

When the Kansas Jayhawks announced that the five-star recruit Darryn Peterson, out of Prolific Prep High School, had committed to the programme, many predicted he would be a one-and-done star destined for greatness in the NBA.

While the latter remains largely true and Peterson will still be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, what he has shown is that his on-court durability does not match his outrageous talent.

Now, here lies the true problem. Kansas have consistently stated that the freshman guard has been unavailable for selection due to an injury issue. The conspiracy theorists among us suggest that this is more of a psychological problem than a physiological one.

My personal opinion — it does not matter in the slightest. In an NCAA class bursting at the seams with backcourt brilliance, can a franchise rebuilding its roster afford to waste such a valuable pick on a player that could break down at any given moment?

The pros of drafting Darryn Peterson

First and foremost, the risk/reward factor on a prospect with Peterson’s ability is unfathomable.

Best-case scenario, you are drafting a two-way star that could potentially change the entire direction of your franchise.

For example, should Tyrese Haliburton return to the Indiana Pacers next year at his pre-injury level, pairing him with a high-volume scorer who also delivers a strong defensive presence could elevate the Pacers into legitimate championship contention.

That is the magnitude of the player we are discussing here.

Over 15 games this season, Peterson has averaged 20.6 points and 1.6 steals per game this season, while shooting 53.8% from the floor.

Just to add more context to this conversation, the Kansas guard scored 23 points — shooting 7-12 from the floor — in just 18 minutes of action during the Jayhawks’ 81-69 triumph over the Oklahoma State Cowboys on February 19.

As previously mentioned, the problem does not lie within Peterson’s ability; it comes with his availability.

Is the downside to Peterson too high a risk?

The offensive talent is evident in the statistics. Numbers are factual. Facts do not always provide context. If you are new to the NCAA, the victory over Oklahoma State seems like a success — what is the problem here? Look deeper.

Peterson only played 18 minutes in that game. Why? He personally asked his coach, Bill Self, to come out of the game due to muscle cramping.

Call me old-fashioned, but a young man who has been catered for as carefully as Peterson should not be cramping in 18 minutes. Well, if you rewatch the moment I am discussing, I would suggest — with no medical qualifications — that the 19-year-old was not in much pain.

Possessing talent is only half the battle. If a player wants to be a star at the highest level, they need to crave it. Every fibre of their being needs to be attributed to making it to the top. Peterson is not showing that drive. His performances show that he is happy to do the bare minimum for himself and leave the rest to fate.

Conditioning is important and will not be a huge factor in what franchises consider moving forward into a world full of constricted finances. A front office cannot waste its salary cap on a player who rarely features for their team.

I would prefer to give Peterson the benefit of the doubt and say that his lack of availability has been due to injuries. However, this does not aid his draft stock.

Given the volume of talented guards in this draft class, franchises would be wise not to utilise their lottery pick on Darryn Peterson.