Incoming 5-star freshman Darryn Peterson most excited to play with this Kansas Jayhawk
Incoming Kansas basketball guard Darryn Peterson took a few seconds to think of an answer.
Finally, Peterson responded with one word, a name:
“Flory.”
The question was which KU player Peterson was most excited to play with, and his response of Flory Bidunga made perfect sense. Bidunga, a five-star recruit in last year’s class, is a high-flying big man for the Jayhawks, so Peterson’s vision and passing ability will fit seamlessly alongside him.
Those abilities were on full display when Prolific Prep defeated DME Academy 78-72 on Saturday night in the semifinals of the Grind Session High School Basketball World Championships.
Prolific Prep advanced to play the winner of Saturday night’s second semifinal game between Utah Prep and Ft. Erie International — set for a 5 p.m. Sunday championship game at Haskell Indian Nations University.
Peterson ended the night with 21 points, four rebounds and two assists. He also had two blocks and one steal. He shot 4-for-12 from the field, but his ability to create and pass was perhaps the most impressive part of his game.
Although it didn’t reflect in the stat sheet, Peterson would have ended up with eight or nine assists if his teammates could have completed some (relatively) easy buckets that he created with his quick decision-making and elite vision.
It’s easy to see why Bidunga and Peterson would be a deadly duo in Lawrence.
Perhaps Peterson and Bidunga will be KU’s iteration of Kobe and Shaq — or, perhaps a more realistic comparison, Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike.
For a Kansas team that’s underwhelmed the last two seasons, there’s plenty to be excited about with the 5-star Peterson’s arrival. That potential duo is a big one. Peterson’s overall talent is another.
KU coach Bill Self has called Peterson “the best player we’ve recruited since we’ve been here.” Self and KU assistant coach Kurtis Townsend sat courtside to watch Peterson play, a common occurrence for the pair.
It’s also clear why Peterson is KU’s top-rated recruit since Andrew Wiggins. (Both 247Sports and ESPN rank him as the No. 2 prospect in the class.)
Peterson can take complete control of a game in seconds. After a relatively quiet scoring first half, DME cut Prolific Prep’s double-digit lead to one point in the third quarter.
Peterson responded with a thunderous dunk and ended the third quarter with a half-court buzzer-beater, leading the many KU fans in Coffin Sports Complex to roar in approval.
Since his arrival in Lawrence, he’s seen plenty of Kansas fans.
On Friday, he even practiced at Allen Fieldhouse. He said he took the practice extra seriously because he will be a Jayhawk next year.
“It was super fun to be able to come here. I know I’m coming here next year,” he said. “A lot of people hit me up, saying they were waiting for me to get here and expected me to play well. So I’m glad I could come out and break the ice today.”
As far as accolades, Peterson, a McDonald’s All-American, won the 2025 Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year award. He’s only the third Jayhawk to do so, joining Andrew Wiggins (2013) and Cliff Alexander (2014). He also recently dropped 58 points in a game, including the game-winning 3.
Still, he believes there’s much to work on before he arrives in Lawrence in July. He’s working on getting in the best possible shape and becoming a more vocal leader.
As for what he can bring the Jayhawks next season?
“A player that’s ready to learn and work his butt off,” he said. “A player that can play multiple positions, work super hard and win.”
