How are we supposed to frame this? Let’s be honest, Peterson is one of the best players in recent history to step on the court at Allen Fieldhouse. Despite playing limited minutes for Kansas this season, very little was going to knock him off the strong odds of him being at worst the second overall pick.
Peterson’s ability to draw the game to himself with such ease is one of the most highly sought-after intangibles there is. The confidence Peterson plays with levels him up even against the nation’s best competition, which will be a massive factor heading into Big 12 play.
Of course Peterson has really only played against one, maybe two “elite” teams in No. 25 UNC (22 points on 8-14 shooting, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, three turnovers), and NC State (17 points on 7-14 shooting, five rebounds, four assists), but there is a reason the Prolific Prep alum is still being touted as a top pick despite only seeing the court for 104 minutes this season.
As the days wear down before conference play begins, fans will continue to grow more anxious over Peterson’s availability. Why? Well, for a couple of reasons, the first being that Peterson hasn’t played since the 13th, with the hopes that his absence will only prepare him for a strong Big 12 return.
The second, the Big 12 is going to be hard. Kansas will need its full roster if it wants a serious chance at snagging a regular-season title. Say Peterson is healthy, and Kansas’ chances improve exponentially at taking back the crown that has rested in Houston, Texas, for the last two years. However, if Peteron struggles to get himself back on the court, then Kansas may falter and find itself even outside the top four, given the strength of the Big 12.
The next chance to see Kansas (and potentially Peterson) take the court is January 3rd against the UCF Golden Knights in what will be the conference opener for the Jayhawks. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. CT with streaming available on Peacoack.
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