Darryn Peterson misses another game for KU basketball. Here’s what we know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- KU confirmed Peterson would miss game vs. A&M-Corpus Christi; team gave no reason pregame.
- Peterson sat in street clothes; Elmarko Jackson started in his place.
- Self previously linked Peterson’s absences to cramping, said it was hamstring postgame.
Kansas basketball freshman Darryn Peterson missed the Jayhawks’ matchup against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday.
A Kansas Athletics official confirmed the absence shortly before the game, but did not give a reason.
After Tuesday’s 77-46 KU basketball win, coach Bill Self said Peterson’s absence was due to “hamstring tightness.”
“His hamstring was tight this morning, so I’m not going to risk that,” Self said. “Hopefully it’s precautionary on the reason why he didn’t play, so I look forward to seeing him in practice on Thursday.
“At least we think that’s the case. It was tight after he practiced today. We practiced this morning at 10, and he practiced, so we didn’t anticipate this. But at the end of practice he said he was tight. So that told me no reason to go.”
Peterson, a projected top NBA Draft pick in 2026, was seen in street clothes before the game. In his place, KU (2-1) started Elmarko Jackson.
“This was as much a doctor’s decision as anything, saying if it’s bothering him, we shouldn’t put him out,” Self said. “If it was up to him, he’s playing regardless. When you can visibly tell at the end of shootaround today that maybe he was settling for jumpers and not trying to get to the hole, (I asked him), ‘Are you tight?’ ‘Yes, I’m tight.’ That was enough.”
Beyond the apparent hamstring tightness, Peterson has dealt with cramping issues over the last few weeks.
Tuesday marked the first regular-season game that Peterson has missed, but he didn’t play in the Jayhawks’ second exhibition matchup against Fort Hays State due to both illness and cramping.
According to Self, Peterson had practiced Monday, a day before the game vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and again in the morning.
“We don’t know from day-to-day how he’s going to be because the way that (North) Carolina guarded him and played ... that’s stuff that you have to be going full speed to combat,” Self said. “He did that on Friday. We think he’s going to be OK and everything, but it’s a long season, guys. He’s too valuable to put out there and create a situation out of something that shouldn’t be a situation.”
Peterson’s cramping issue first popped up — at least publicly — in KU’s exhibition game against Louisville back in October. He struggled to move due to the cramps at halftime and was limited to 10 minutes in the second half.
Around that time, Self indicated it could be an ongoing issue.
“I don’t think that we have quite remedied the situation yet, and that’s going to be a big deal if your best player can’t finish games because of cramping or whatever it would be,” Self said in late October. “So we’ve got to figure that out”
This story was originally published November 11, 2025 at 7:05 PM.
