Colin Cowherd Defends Kansas Star Darryn Peterson's NBA Draft Prospects

The sports commentator argues Peterson's injury history shouldn't deter NBA teams from drafting him high.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Colin Cowherd, a prominent sports commentator, has come out in defense of Kansas basketball star Darryn Peterson, who has missed multiple games this season due to various health issues. Cowherd argues that Peterson's talent and potential make him a top NBA draft prospect, despite his injury history, comparing him to NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Cowherd believes NBA teams should be willing to take a chance on Peterson, just as they would with other transformational talents who have sat out games for various reasons.

Why it matters

Peterson's injury history has raised concerns about his durability and availability for NBA teams, but Cowherd believes his rare athletic gifts and skill set make him worth the risk. The debate around Peterson's draft stock highlights the challenges NBA teams face in evaluating talented players with injury concerns.

The details

Darryn Peterson, a star player for the Kansas Jayhawks, has missed 11 of the team's 24 games this season due to various health issues, including cramping and the flu. Despite Peterson's absences, Kansas was able to defeat the previously undefeated Arizona Wildcats on Monday night. Cowherd argues that Peterson's talent is so exceptional that NBA teams should be willing to overlook his injury history, comparing him to NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

  • On February 10, 2026, Cowherd discussed Peterson's NBA draft prospects on his radio show.
  • Peterson missed Kansas' win over Arizona on February 9, 2026 due to flu-like symptoms.

The players

Darryn Peterson

A star basketball player for the Kansas Jayhawks who has missed multiple games this season due to health issues, but is considered a top NBA draft prospect by commentator Colin Cowherd.

Colin Cowherd

A prominent sports commentator who has defended Peterson's NBA draft prospects, arguing that his talent and potential outweigh his injury history.

Bill Self

The head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, who explained that Peterson was ruled out of the Arizona game shortly before tip-off due to flu-like symptoms.

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What they’re saying

“So the upcoming NBA Draft will be pretty special. It's got three or four great players, one at BYU, one at Duke, and Darryn Peterson plays for Kansas. He's closest looking player I've seen to Kobe Bryant. He's a jump off the television player.”

— Colin Cowherd, Sports Commentator (on3.com)

“If you can get a Kobe Bryant level athlete, you draft him.”

— Colin Cowherd, Sports Commentator (on3.com)

What’s next

The upcoming NBA Draft in June 2026 will be a key moment for Darryn Peterson's professional prospects, as NBA teams will have to weigh his exceptional talent against his injury history.

The takeaway

This debate over Darryn Peterson's NBA draft stock highlights the difficult decisions NBA teams face in evaluating talented players with injury concerns. While Peterson's health issues have raised red flags, Cowherd argues his rare athletic gifts and skill set make him worth the risk for an NBA team willing to take a chance on a potential transformational talent.