There are two major talking points revolving around the KU basketball program right now. The biggest being the future of head coach Bill Self, as following Kansas’ heartbreaking 67-65 loss to St. John’s, Self left his future up in the air.
However, the future of guard Darryn Peterson has also been uncertain. For most of the season, even despite his injury concerns, Peterson had solidified himself as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. However, questions over Peterson’s durability, combined with the elite season from Brigham Young’s AJ Dybantsa have seen mock drafts flip between the two.
Latest Mock Draft predicts a slight slide for Peterson
Fansided’s Christopher Kline recently compiled a mock draft that saw Peterson be surpassed by Dybantsa for the No. 1 pick, landing Peterson in Memphis with the Grizzlies, and Dybantsa in Washington with the Wizards.
Of course, drafts are often based on team needs. There is every chance Duke’s Cam Boozer gets awarded the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Award, but most drafts have him surfacing around the No. 3 slot, because the teams around that spot need a forward of Boozer’s archetype, then a team like the Wizards, Kings, or the Grizzlies.
Peterson’s NCAA Tournament could have, of course, gone better as his 49 points through two games came with a 41% mark from the field, but his talent was readily available during the season, even if Peterson wasn’t.
“He's comfortable on or off-ball, but one of the most polished scoring repertoires for a guard in recent memory,” quotes Kline.
Peterson’s season-high of 32 points came in Kansas’ opening Big 12 win as the Jayhawks came from as many as 16 points down in a 104-100 win over TCU. Peterson also adds a solid 38.2% from beyond the arc.
“The movement 3s, the quick rim attacks against closeouts, the impossibly efficient mid-range game. Peterson has it all in his bag, with refined handles and a high release on his jumper. He also gets after it on defense.”
There are the usual questions over Peterson’s availability, which are warranted. Peterson played in just 24 games this season, thanks to hamstring tightness, flu-like symptoms, a sprained ankle, and, most notably, cramping issues.
However, Peterson was able to shake off some doubts towards the end of the season, with 30+ minutes in seven of the last nine games of the season, with the other two seeing blowout scorelines put Peterson on the bench.
As of right now, the biggest date for the pair is the upcoming NBA Combine, which is set for May 10th and runs all the way through the 17th.
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