Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson, the projected No. 1 decide within the 2026 NBA Draft, will miss Tuesday evening’s showdown with No. 5 Duke within the Champions Basic as he continues to cope with a hamstring damage, CBS Sports activities’ Matt Norlander studies. Kansas coach Invoice Self advised reporters Saturday after the Jayhawks’ win over Princeton that Peterson could be out for the “fast future.”
The Duke sport would be the third consecutive absence for Peterson, who final performed within the loss to North Carolina on Nov. 7. Subject of 68 first reported Peterson could be out vs. the Blue Devils.
“We’re not clearly gonna have him, you understand, no less than for the fast future,” Self stated. “I simply do not understand how lengthy that’ll be.”
Peterson, one of the vital extremely touted guard prospects to return out of the highschool ranks in years, made his collegiate debut towards Inexperienced Bay earlier this month, ending with 21 factors, 4 rebounds and three assists. In opposition to North Carolina on the street, Peterson scored 22 factors in a 87-74 loss.
Self advised reporters final week that Peterson’s hamstring problem has been lingering for “weeks,” however he has performed via it. Notably, Peterson did not end an exhibition sport towards Louisville attributable to a cramping problem and likewise exited the second half towards Inexperienced Bay attributable to cramps.
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“He is performed with it,” Self stated Nov. 14. “Nevertheless it’s nonetheless sore. So medical employees and all people assume it is one thing that is therapeutic and getting higher. However the actuality of it’s, after the Carolina sport, you guys keep in mind that first burst that he had when he stole the ball and had the layup first two factors of the sport? He did not do something unhealthy to it, however he stated it simply felt completely different since then, like tight. That is all it’s, is tightness.”
With Peterson out, Kansas is an 11.5-point underdog towards the Blue Devils, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
What makes Darryn Peterson an elite NBA prospect?
Peterson has began to create some separation amongst his friends to grow to be the NBA’s No. 1 total decide in the summertime. Nonetheless, in the event you ask 10 individuals who comply with the draft carefully to foretell the primary three picks within the draft, you may get 10 completely different solutions. Whereas the highest decide has been dominated by forwards, wings and bigs lately, Peterson has an opportunity to grow to be the exception.
In CBS Sports activities’ NBA Draft prospect rankings by Adam Finkelstein, Peterson was ranked No. 1, forward of BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Boozer — each of whom are wings/forwards on the NBA degree.
He completed because the top-ranked prospect in final 12 months’s recruiting class and begins this draft cycle in the identical place. Peterson is an enormous, playmaking guard who continues to enhance annually. His overlap of positional measurement, size, energy and shot creation is unmatched on this class. Actually, he could also be the perfect home guard we have seen in a number of draft cycles. If the shot-making we have seen early on at Kansas proves sustainable, he may very well be even higher than anticipated.
The final guard taken with the No. 1 decide was Cade Cunningham in 2021. Since 2010, solely six prospects who’ve gone No. 1 have been labeled as a guard. Though Cooper Flagg has been utilized as some extent guard via the primary few weeks his NBA profession by the Dallas Mavericks, he’s a standard wing on the NBA degree.
A part of the intrigue round Peterson is his potential to be a quantity scorer on the NBA degree. Peterson can be a gifted defensive prospect who can defend at a excessive degree due to his measurement and athleticism. However what stands out essentially the most — and why he might finally go No. 1 — is his shot making that’s second to none on this class.
Peterson has all of the makings to be an elite scorer on the subsequent degree.
What does Darryn Peterson’s damage imply for Kansas?
Shedding Peterson for an prolonged time period could be a significant problem for the Jayhawks, at the moment ranked No. 24 within the AP Prime 25. It is no secret that Kansas has struggled to generate offense with out Peterson on the ground. Peterson has served as the first ball handler inside the offense and is the go-to scorer for the Jayhawks.
Even with the bounce second-year ahead Flory Bidunga has taken on the offensive finish, there’s a notable absence with out Peterson within the lineup. With out Peterson, Kansas will rely extra on veteran guard Tre White, who transferred into this system within the offseason from Illinois. He’s averaging 10.0 factors in three video games, tied for third on his workforce.
Darryn Peterson misses showdown with Cameron Boozer
Peterson lacking the Duke sport is a significant loss for the Jayhawks and school basketball followers as a complete. The matchup between Peterson and Duke freshman Cameron Boozer — who additionally tasks as a top-three decide this summer time — would’ve been one school basketball followers hadn’t seen in years throughout the common season.
The final time gamers confronted off within the common season and likewise went within the prime three of the identical NBA Draft was in 2021. That 12 months, Duke’s Paolo Banchero — the No. 1 total decide within the 2022 draft — went up towards Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren (the No. 2 decide) in an epic showdown.
There have been six situations of top-three picks dealing with off towards one another throughout the common season and the NCAA Match since 2010. The newest instance got here this previous spring, when Flagg and Duke confronted Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe (the No. 3 decide) within the second spherical.
