College basketball analyst shares evidence Kansas' Darryn Peterson is actually playing through injury

There are growing concerns around Kansas freshman star Darryn Peterson, but there might be more to the story we're not being told. Many people have questioned his competitiveness amid a season marked by missed games and in-game exits. However, one prominent college basketball analyst believes there is tangible evidence the projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick is battling through an injury. 

Two social media posts by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie shows side-by-side clips comparing Peterson’s high school film to his recent performances with the Kansas Jayhawks. Vecenie pointed out the visible differences in Peterson’s burst, lift and lateral movement, suggesting the freshman guard is playing through a significant injury rather than opting out of games by choice.

“I get the way it's being handled is weird, but the tape doesn't lie. He's clearly not right and playing through injury,” Vecenie wrote, highlighting diminished explosiveness compared to Peterson’s prep career in Canton, Ohio.

The debate intensified after Peterson logged just 18 minutes and benched himself in the second half of a win at Oklahoma State, drawing national scrutiny, including criticism from Stephen A. Smith, who questioned whether NBA teams should consider him with the top pick.

Kansas coach Bill Self acknowledged the concern after that game, saying availability could define the Jayhawks’ postseason ceiling. Peterson has missed 11 of Kansas’ 27 games, dealing with hamstring and ankle injuries along with persistent cramping. He was also a late scratch in a win over then-unbeaten Arizona due to flu-like symptoms.

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The Jayhawks are 9-2 without Peterson, a statistic that has led to questions about chemistry. Yet Vecenie’s analysis reframes the conversation. This now appears to be a player disengaging, but also pushing through physical limitations.

Kansas faces No. 2 Houston on Monday night with the NCAA tournament less than a month away. The larger question is no longer just whether Peterson will play but whether he can regain the explosiveness that once made him the consensus top prospect. 

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