Darryn Peterson Responds to Criticism on Missing Playing Time Amid AJ Dybantsa's Viral Comment

Kansas shooting guard and potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson has missed 11 full games with a hamstring injury, cramps, a rolled ankle and flu-like symptoms, and he's also left three games early due to cramping concerns.

In an article published Monday, Peterson referenced the criticism in comments made to ESPN's Myron Medcalf between his team's Feb. 9 game against Arizona (82-78 win) and Feb. 18 matchup with Oklahoma State (81-69 victory).

"Everybody's got an opinion on it," Peterson said. "But basketball is my life. If I could have been out there every game this year, I would have. If you would have asked me last year, what were my goals for this year, I would never mention missing games. So all this stuff kind of just happened, but I've got to deal with it."

Meanwhile, BYU forward (and potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick) AJ Dybantsa just played all 40 minutes in a 79-69 win over Iowa State, amassing 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Dybantsa, who has played all 27 of BYU's games while averaging 33.7 minutes per night, had this to say postgame.

Peterson has been fantastic overall, though, averaging 19.8 points on 48.0 percent shooting (41.3 percent from three) in just 27.2 minutes per game. NBA scouts and analysts still love Peterson, too. Of note, he's still No. 1 overall in the latest NBA mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman for Bleacher Report.

"Confusion or frustration over Darryn Peterson's minutes and absences still aren't setting off alarms," Wasserman wrote on Feb. 17. "Durability and competitiveness have become talking points, but it doesn't sound like they're changing the minds of most who had him No. 1 to start the year."

Kansas head coach Bill Self has routinely defended Peterson, perhaps nevermore than on Feb. 12, calling out "BS" narratives and saying the guard has dealt with a "string of bad luck."

Of late, Peterson has received flak for his late scratch against Arizona due to flu-like symptoms. He explained the situation from his perspective to Medcalf.

"I didn't feel good really the whole day, but I was like, 'I'm going to try to go out and warm up and see if I can—I don't know, [I thought] the fans yelling or something would maybe give me a little extra boost or something," Peterson said. "But it just didn't work [that night]. My legs were heavy and stuff and I was like, 'Before I'm out here being a liability, I'd rather just let someone else [play] that can give it 100 percent.'"

Nine days later, Petersen took himself out of the Oklahoma State game with cramps after just 18 minutes (he scored 23 points and made 6-of-10 threes during that matchup).

On Friday, Self told reporters that there was a way for Peterson to change the narrative.

Self also continued his defense of Peterson, noting the star's love of the game.

"I don't know that we've had a guy who studies the game, has prepared himself for this more so than what Darryn Peterson has," Self said, per Michael Swain of The Phog. "He loves ball. He can't get enough ball. I think that those are the things that are probably hurtful as much as anything. So say those types of things. And nobody's putting more time in outside of practice, working on their game on an individual level, than probably what he has over a lifetime. I don't think it'd be close. So I don't buy those scenarios at all."

Peterson is back in the lineup, but Saturday didn't go well for Kansas, which fell 84-68 at home to Cincinnati. Peterson scored 17 points in 32 minutes.

The Jayhawks will be back on the court Monday at home against Houston.