When the No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks take to the court on Tuesday night, primetime against the No. 5 Duke Blue Devils, the nation’s eyes will be on one player, Darryn Peterson. Peterson has shown finesse with the ball in his hand, an innate sense to set the tempo, and an elite ability at pulling up from anywhere on the court, to the point where NBA Hall of Famer comparisons are being drawn to the Prolific Prep product.
The problem? Peterson has hardly been healthy enough to show his skill on the court. Through a string of absences/early removals, which have been tabbed as cramps, stomach bug, precautionary cramping, and, most recently, a tight hamstring, Peterson has missed out on Kansas’ last two games, both resounding wins over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (77-46), and last Saturday against the Princeton Tigers (76-57).