Kansas Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson has been catching heat from multiple directions. His latest critique came from former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins.
Peterson is going through the freshman campaign of his collegiate career with the Jayhawks. His remarkable talent and skillset has him firmly in the projection of being a top-three pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. However, his tendency to sub himself out of games has garnered negative criticism, presenting concerns about his playing commitment.
Cousins talked about Peterson during his Feb. 22 appearance on the Run It Back podcast. Cousins understands Peterson in his position, putting his NBA future first. However, the former NBA star questioned why the star freshman would even go to college if he was going to ‘sabotage’ college basketball.
“I feel like if this was the route that they wanted to go as far as carving out his long term, then maybe the G-League could have been a better option as far as you know, showing flashes, preparing them for the long term, obviously having communications behind the scenes with these different NBA teams. I just felt that would have been a more proper route compared to kind of sabotaging the college game the way they have so far,” Cousins said at the 5:23 mark.
He also said also says that this whole situation could backfire and continue to put a negative spin on himself by not playing and subbing himself out, and that does damage in itself for his NBA future.
“Make sure he’s got blood protecting them from the business because sometimes put a negative spin on your name,” Cousins said at the 10:34 mark.
What's next for Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Darryn Peterson certainly has a lot to prove as a highly talented prospect. If he were to prove his doubters and critics, he will have to cancel them out with his performances on the court.
Peterson has appeared in 16 games out of 27 for the Jayhawks this season. He is averaging 19.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 48% from the field, including 41.3% from beyond the arc, and 78.9% from the free-throw line.
Kansas has a 20-7 overall record on the season, going 10-4 in its Big 12 matchups so far. They sit at fourth place in the conference standings, being above the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the BYU Cougars while trailing the Iowa State Cyclones and the Houston Cougars.
The Jayhawks will continue preparations for their next matchup, being at home. They host No. 2 Houston as tip-off will take place on Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. ET.
