If it has been said once, it has been said multiple times. This is not the season Darryn Peterson saw himself having in his first and really only year at Kansas. There was so much hope for what Peterson would do for this team, and while at times he has delivered, others he hasn't even been on the court to do anything.
In a season marred with injuries and cramping issues that some wonder are even that serious, Peterson has seen his hold on the No. 1 NBA Draft start to lessen, but at no point does it feel like he has completely lost it. Well, as of late, some feel like he has, like The Athletic and now Joe Tipton with On3.
Tipton was asked about whether or not Peterson, or BYU's AJ Dybantsa, who is projected at NO. 2 in the draft, should go first overall. Tipton said he has gone back and forth at times, having Dybantsa at No. 1 and then Peterson, but as of right now, he feels like Dybantsa is the right choice.
"His [Peterson] lack of durability," Tipton said. "I'm not questioning his love or anything like that, but it does bring questions for me."
There’s an ongoing debate on who should be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) March 3, 2026
AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson?
I would select AJ. Here’s why 👇🏻
Full episode: https://t.co/Wce9V3A3ib pic.twitter.com/sdo4tDUMFt
Joe Tipton believes the optics of the Darryn Peterson situation is what has hurt him the most
Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and Peterson said he had the hamstring probelm and it was clear he wasn't his full self. However, when the cramping issue arose, it didn't make a lot of sense, as the usual storyline with it was that he would have a monster first half and then suddenly wouldn't play the majority of the second half when it looked like nothing was holding him back.
Tipton knows that Peterson loves the game and wants to be on the court, but at times, it has seemed like his camp has held him back, and it caused a notion that Peterson was only looking out for himself.
It could just be how the year has gone, but when you look at Dybantsa vs. Peterson, he hasn't had all these issues. He has been out there on the court with his guys nearly every game and never pulled himself early. Dybantsa, at times, has played a full 40 minutes in a game.
Ultimately, no one will know who goes first overall until the NBA Commissioner reads the name off the card, but it just doesn't feel like as much of a lock for Peterson anymore.