It has not been the easiest of seasons for Darryn Peterson, and it certainly wasn't the freshman season he was hoping for at Kansas. Coming into the season, Peterson was projected to take over college basketball and also projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Now months later, Peterson's hold on the No. 1 overall pick seems to have slipped, and he has to try to lead the Kansas Jayhawks through a tough East Region in the NCAA Tournament. Navigating the first year of college, as well as injury and cramping problems, as well as the transition from high school to college ball, hasn't been easy on Peterson.
The Jayhawks are a four-seed in one of the toughest regions in the tournament, and Peterson needs to help Kansas make a deep run if he wants to silence the haters and save his NBA Draft stock.
Steven A. Smith and Seth Greenberg believe Darryn Peterson is in toruble come the NBA Draft
College basketball analyst Seth Greenberg joined First Take to talk about Peterson with show host Steven A. Smith. Neither Smith nor Greenberg loves what they have seen from Peterson this season. While they know his talent level is off the charts, the way he interacts with his team tells another story.
"I don't like the way he interacts with his teammates," Greenberg said. "I don't like the energy and joy that he plays with. He plays, but I never see him pick someone up. I never see him interact with his teammates."
Does Darryn Peterson need a deep NCAA Tournament run to silence his critics?
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 16, 2026
—@SethOnHoops and @stephenasmith offer their honest verdicts ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/i7vOHdREsd
With players having to go to college in order to be drafted in the NBA, at times, it has felt like Kansas was just a quick stop for Peterson on his way to the pros. At times if felt like he didn't care about the team and was only looking out for himself, and that is exactly what Greenberg and Smith are saying.
If Peterson can be the spark for Kansas to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, it could silence all the hate the young freshman is receiving. I Peterson really only cared about himself; he would just go through the motions on the court, but helping Kansas through the gauntlet of the East Region could be exactly what Peterson needs for his NBA Draft stock.