KU portal activity: McDonald’s All-American Darryn Peterson says he’s not concerned
McDonald’s All-America guard Darryn Peterson spoke with Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self on the phone Monday morning.
The two discussed the Jayhawks’ having five potential returnees enter the NCAA transfer portal over the past couple days.
“I’ve been seeing a lot of guys were entering. He asked me was I worried about it? I told him, ‘Nah,’’’ Peterson, a 6-foot-5 senior guard from Prolific Prep in Napa, California, told reporters at McDonald’s All-America Media Day Monday in Brooklyn, New York.
“His response was, ‘You better not be, because you’re coming to hoop,’’’ Peterson added with a smile while seated at a table in front of reporters.
“That’s part of the game now. A lot of people are staying, a lot of people are leaving,” Peterson noted of the portal.
Asked what he’d tell potential Jayhawks who could join the KU program via transfer in coming days/weeks, Peterson said: “Come play with us. It’s a great arena, great coach, (we’re) trying to win, whatever it takes.”
Peterson — he will be playing for the West team in Tuesday’s McDonald’s game (8 p.m. ESPN) — said Self “wasn’t stressed at all about it (uncertain roster).”
The KU players to enter the portal thus far are: Flory Bidunga, Rakease Passmore, David Coit, Rylan Griffen and Zach Clemence.
Peterson, who has averaged 32.5 points a game at Prolific Prep this season, was asked what KU fans should be most excited about concerning his game.
“Probably hitting some 3’s, my first game being confident to hit some 3’s.”
His message to KU fans? “Come show love. I’m going to do my best to get wins and try to bring championships.”
He explained his nickname, “Bucket Jones” to the media in attendance Monday: “My pops came up with it in sixth, seventh grade,” said Peterson, a native of Canton, Ohio, who is ranked No. 2 in the recruiting Class of 2025 by ESPN.com. “He (dad) said when I was younger all I cared about was buckets, not the wins or losses, nothing else, just getting buckets. He gave me the nickname Bucket Jones. Jonesing … it’s like an addiction to something. I think it defined me a little bit. Now I care about winning and stuff. I love getting buckets.”
The No. 1 player in the Class of ’25, A.J. Dybantsa, is a teammate of Peterson’s in Tuesday’s McDonald’s contest.
“It means a lot. It’s a great accomplishment for me and my family,” Peterson said of being a McDonald’s All-America pick. “I’ve worked super hard. I think some of the hard work is paying off.”
Prolific Prep and McDonald’s West team teammate Nikola Bundalo, who is headed to Washington on scholarship, said this of Peterson: “He is probably one of the most versatile players I’ve ever had the opportunity to watch and/or play against. I remember in eighth grade we were triangle-and-2-ing him the whole game. He was one of the guys who always had an impact on the game no matter what. He can shoot it, put it on the floor, finish at the rim. There’s really not a lot the guy can’t do.”
On Monday night, future Baylor player Toundo Yessoufou defeated Dybantsa for the McDonald’s slam dunk title. Others in the competition: Caleb Wilson, Zai Harwell, Mikel Brown Jr., Chris Cenac Jr. and Grace Knox.
Future Louisville guard Mikel Brown won the boys 3-point shooting contest, defeating Peterson, Nikolas Khamenia and Nate Ament. Future K-State player Jordan Speiser won the girls knockout competition and Khamenia won the boys knockout competition. Aaliyah Chavez won the girls 3-point shooting contest. Brown scored 28 points in the ‘battle of the sexes’ final round to defeat Chavez.
Speiser and future KU player Jaliya Davis will play in the 2025 McDonald’s girls all-star game, set for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff Tuesday on ESPN2.
Davis, a 6-2 forward out of Blue Valley North, averaged 24.8 points and 8.1 boards a game in 2024-25. Davis is the fourth player in Kansas high school basketball history to play in the McDonald’s game and the first player in Blue Valley district history.
Davis is the third McDonald’s All-American in Kansas women’s basketball history and the second to sign with the Jayhawks out of high school. KU’s previous signee was Lauren Ervin, who played in the 2003 event, while Jessica Washington was selected to play in the game in 2013. Washington played two seasons at North Carolina before transferring to Kansas for the 2016-17 season.
According to ESPN.com, future K-State Wildcat Speiser “is the best long-range shooter in this class. She had a summer of incredible shooting performances, including a 40-point game in the EYBL Championship tournament. Always known as a shooting threat since she hit the circuit, Speiser went to work and improved her handle and ability to sustain contact going to the rim, and it proved valuable last summer as she countered hard closeouts and was crowded and closely guarded. She has a strong frame and knows how to draw fouls to get to the free throw line.”
Of Davis, who is on the East squad playing against Speiser on the West, ESPN.com wrote: “Davis is one of the premier forwards in the class. In an age when most players want to be perimeter-oriented, Davis does her work in and around the paint like an old-school forward. She has exceptional rebounding ability and a touch around the rim, combined with a fundamental back-to-the-basket game. Davis’ second-jump reaction time and the effort and energy she brings to the floor help her fill a valuable role. Davis will bring a blue-collar approach that will lead to consistent production for Brandon Schneider and Kansas.”
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 10:02 AM.
