Darryn Peterson's message to Kansas fans is nowhere close to good enough

The Kansas Jayhawks have been sent home before the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth season in a row. The Jayhawks have not made it out of the first weekend since 2022, when they ended up winning the whole thing.

A loss to St. John's at the buzzer ends the Jayhawks season and the Kansas career for freshman Darryn Peterson. The NBA prospect will now turn his attention to the draft, where he has to fight for the No. 1 overall pick after losing hold of it during the college season.

After the game, Peterson and the media knew that was the final time he would wear the Kansas jersey before heading to the NBA. Peterson was asked what he wants the Kansas fans to remember him for most, and his answer could not have been more lackluster.

"I am not sure right now," Peterson said. "A player that went out there and played hard every time he could."

It is clear Darryn Peterson has already checked out at Kansas

Kansas star Darryn Peterson certainly showed up in the two games the Jayhawks played in the NCAA Tournament, but the question remains: was it for the team or for himself? There was a lot os talk about Peterson needing to perform well in the tournament to help build his NBA Draft stock again, but nothing about the glory of Kansas.

After the game, while it can be understood that the Jayhawks, Peterson as well, were upset about the close loss, it just felt like the star freshman couldn't care less. Kansas was a means to an end for Peterson, the ticket he needed to be able to go to the NBA, and it was clear throughout the whole season.

It felt like Peterson never bought into what he could have been at Kansas; he simply just got through the year so that he could go straight to the NBA. Now, with the season over, head coach Bill Self will have to find a replacement for Peterson, someone who can score as consistently, or at least move the ball around so others can as well.