As Duke star freshman Cameron Boozer has done nothing but prove himself to be one of the most consistent and reliable players in college basketball, Kansas's star freshman, Darryn Peterson, has been the opposite.
With numerous injuries and continual cramping, Peterson has missed a ton of time for the Kansas Jayhawks, creating a lot of questions about his viability at the next level, despite his all-star level of play.
On Thursday morning, while discussing Peterson's early exit from the Jayhawks' game against Oklahoma State, former Blue Devil Jay Williams summarized his feelings on the situation perfectly.
"If I were a general manager, I would be extremely concerned about Darryn Peterson," Williams said on ESPN's Get Up. "I don't question his talent at all, his talent is the No. 1 pick in the draft... I'm not sure about the availability of Darryn Peterson."
Williams went on to highlight the fact that Peterson has already missed 11 games this season. For reference, Kansas has only played 26 games. He also pointed out all of the injuries and illnesses Peterson has had, from a hamstring injury to "not playing through the flu" and more.
"His talent is unquestionable. It's elite. But I don't feel like he really wants to be there," Williams said.
Is Darryn Peterson riding the NIL train?
Williams suggested that Peterson's absences and mid-game exits could be attributed to the current state of college sports and how NIL has affected the game.
"If I were a general manager, I would be extremely concerned about Darryn Peterson. ... His talent is unquestionable. It's elite. But I don't feel like he really wants to be there."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 19, 2026
—@RealJayWilliams on Peterson's availability this season amid NIL dynamics 👀 pic.twitter.com/qXXf4cu5mk
"Maybe this is a byproduct of when kids get paid NIL, and they get money up front," Williams continued. "It's like, 'Well, if I don't wanna be here and I get my money up front, then I can check out when I wanna check out.'"
However, you see other elite freshmen like Boozer, like Houston's Kingston Flemings, and like BYU's AJ Dybantsa, who aren't playing off and on like Peterson has this year.
So, it's hard to argue with Williams' point of view that, if he were a general manager of an NBA franchise, he'd be hesitant about drafting Peterson as the No. 1 overall pick.
Earlier this season, when Duke defeated Kansas by 12 points, it was one of the many games that Peterson was sitting on the sideline for. The biggest question right now, with conference and NCAA tournaments right around the corner, is whether Peterson will even play in his first (and likely only) March Madness.