The narrative around Darryn Peterson has not been a great one as of late, with the star freshman being questioned for his availability for Kansas. The lingering cramping issue has caused many to question if this is just how Peterson is and if it could affect him going forward in his NBA career.
After playing just 18 minutes vs. Oklahoma State with 23 points, Peterson came back against Cincinnati and played 32 minutes, scoring 17 points in what ended up being a Jayhawks loss.
There are many who believe that Peterson is not who the player the NBA is hoping he can be, from Stephen A. Smith to Dick Vitale. However, Peterson's father, Darryl Peterson, took to social media the night before Kansas is set to battle No. 2 Houston with a graphic that should shut the haters up.
"It's not how you start, it's how you finish," the post read on Instagram.
Darryn Peterson's father posted this on his IG story today. Kansas plays Houston tomorrow night inside Allen Fieldhouse.
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) February 23, 2026
🍿 pic.twitter.com/SK8A9kzEW2
The end of the season is approaching quickly, with only a handful of regular-season games left, and then it is on to conference tournament play. Peterson's father could be talking about how his son is going to finish the season strong, or he could be talking about it on a single-game basis.
Either way, Darryl Peterson is quickly showing that he hears the noise around his son, and he is making a stand against it. Peterson is certainly a generational talent, and the availability is a bit of a concern so early in his career, but he is also a No.1 overall projected draft pick.
Peterson could be protecting his body for when he does get drafted, which is not something uncommon. The only problem is that this freshman class is loaded, and many of them will be going with Peterson to the NBA after this season, and many of them are not holding back on the court; they are showing out on the court.