Why Bill Self is concerned — but not yet worried — about Darryn Peterson’s health
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson will miss Tuesday's game vs. Towson due to quad cramping.
- Peterson left prior game late and missed seven earlier games due to hamstring strain.
- Draft analysts still project Peterson as a potential No. 1 pick despite recent ailments.
Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson did not play Tuesday night, as the Jayhawks rolled to a 73-49 victory over Towson.
In a pregame statement, about two hours before tipoff, KU coach Bill Self had announced the star guard would sit out. Peterson had previously been listed as day-to-day.
“Darryn experienced cramping in his quad against N.C. State on Saturday and felt similar in practice yesterday,” Self said in a statement Tuesday evening. “He is not able to compete at full strength. ... He will continue to work tirelessly and prepare to compete with his teammates and represent Kansas in the very near future.”
After the game, Self was asked about a timeline for Peterson’s return. He was noncommittal.
“He (Peterson) practiced yesterday, but he wasn’t moving like he’s capable of moving by any stretch,” Self said. “Much like the N.C. State game, much like the Missouri game, although Missouri I think was more health-related (illness) than it was legs.”
If there is good news, Self continued, it’s what this specific ailment is.
“It’s not his hamstring, so at least we’ve got that going for us,” Self said, adding twice that Peterson is “frustrated” by sitting out.
Self later noted: “We’ve just got to figure it out. The best news, it’s not his hamstring. It’s not like something that we feel like it can cause any issues down the road.”
So what’s the problem?
“When you can practice and be out there ... you’re young, but when you get a little bit older, your body doesn’t exactly react the way you want it to,” Self said. “... That’s what he’s going through at age 19. His body is just not reacting. His brain is telling him to go somewhere and do it at his pace and his body is just not reacting to it.”
For now, the Jayhawks will continue to list Peterson as day-to-day, Self said, adding: “We still believe we will get through this, but until he can actually move the way his brain is programming his body to move, we will probably be very cautious still.”
Against N.C. State, in the Jayhawks’ previous game, Peterson took a seat with about 2:15 left in regulation and did not return. It continued a trend of games he’s played in, just four on the season, where Peterson has started strong before having to sit late due to cramping.
Indeed, it has already been an injury-filled year for Peterson.
That contest against N.C. State was Peterson’s second game back after missing seven games due to a hamstring strain. In his tenure at No. 17 Kansas (9-3), Peterson has only played 22 total minutes at Allen Fieldhouse.
In the preseason, Peterson missed time for what KU called a “cramping issue.” That limited him in the second half of an exhibition against Louisville and kept him sidelined for a game against Fort Hays State.
The Jayhawks are still looking for answers regarding the talented freshman, who is averaging 19.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game when he does play.
“We’ve talked to everybody,” he said. “We’ve only had a couple of guys that have had this. Devonte’ (Graham) probably had it as bad as anyone. He worked through it, but it took a while to work through it.
“... Everybody has an idea of (how to fix this), whether it’s mustard packets or eating bananas or drinking this ... there’s a lot of things that people can do. And sometimes your body just doesn’t react how it reacts to a nephew or uncle(’s remedy) in your family.”
Is Self concerned?
“I’ve been concerned for five weeks,” Self said. “Guys, he couldn’t finish the Louisville game (in the preseason). If you get 24 (points) in 18 minutes and then you say you can’t go ... is it nagging? Yeah. But it’s also bad enough that it just hasn’t gotten better like we had hoped. We went through a period of time where it wasn’t cramping, and it was just the hamstring. That healed up.
“I’m not worried, yet. I’m concerned because this team needs to have an extended period of time together, because it doesn’t work like he practiced for two days and he’s ready to go. That’s not how it works. He wouldn’t be able to help us that way, and we wouldn’t know how to help him.”
Self said the next step, in that regard, is establishing a “rhythm.”
“And the rhythm isn’t just being out there and being at 70% or whatever,” Self continued. “The rhythm is having extended days where you are at 100%.”
So far, the ailments do not appear to have affected Peterson’s draft stock, with the likely one-and-done freshman still a projected No. 1 pick by several media outlets.
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 6:03 PM.
