It's hard to imagine now, but back in 2020, Anthony Edwards' passion for the game was one of the biggest knocks on him heading into the league. Before the draft, Edwards drew criticism for saying, "I'm still not really into it [basketball]," noting his passion for football. Of course, this didn't dissuade the Minnesota Timberwolves from taking him with the No. 1 pick, and he quickly shut down this narrative in the NBA. Regardless, this remained a concern about Edwards during the draft cycle.
In a draft class with three possible No. 1 picks, Darryn Peterson appeared to be separating himself as the favorite. That is, until concerns about the Kansas superstar's passion for basketball popped up. Peterson has missed nine games with a hamstring injury and two games due to an illness, which accounts for nearly half of Kansas' games. On top of this, he hasn't played in numerous second halves due to mid-game cramping.
This has led people to suggest that Peterson is trying to preserve his draft stock and that he isn't competitive enough to thrive at the next level. I think this logic is a bit flawed, as DP could have withdrawn at any point this season and still would have had a strong case to be the No. 1 pick. Whatever side of this debate you're on, though, there's no denying that Peterson's passion for the game is being questioned by numerous pundits and likely scouts.Â
Peterson's availability is a clear concern (even if he wants to play, it's clear he's dealing with a nagging injury). However, when he's been on the court, Peterson has dominated, averaging 19.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 47.2/40.5/79.5 shooting splits. Peterson's playstyle as a combo guard with dynamic three-level scoring abilities also makes him similar to Ant-Man. Granted, every player is a bit different, but it's clear they have some similarities.
Darryn Peterson will have to change the current perception of him
Entering the stretch run of the college basketball season, Peterson has a golden opportunity to flip the script on this narrative. If Peterson can lead Kansas to a deep March Madness run and plays big minutes along the way -- do you think we'll even have these discussions come June? I doubt it.
Nevertheless, if these problems persist, DP will have to wait until he takes an NBA court to shut down this narrative. How this impacts his draft stock is unclear. Even with these concerns, Peterson is so talented that I could see him going anywhere between No. 1 and 3, but it really depends on how the lottery shakes out.
Edwards is a prime example of how quickly a pre-draft narrative can change. Today, he's widely regarded as one of the most passionate and hard-working players in the league. But six years ago, hearing the possible No. 1 pick say that he's not really into basketball was somewhat of a red flag. Now we know that Ant is supremely confident, which makes this quote more understandable.
Peterson has the same concerns for different reasons. Regardless, he'll have to prove that he is durable and willing to play night in and night out. Hopefully, six years ago, we look back on these concerns about Peterson the same way we look back at the concerns with Edwards. Peterson is a special talent, and the NBA could surely benefit from another young star like him.