Bill Self says Darryn Peterson ‘doing better’ with cramping as postseason nears
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- Bill Self says Darryn Peterson is 'doing better' but not fully explosive.
- Peterson missed 11 games and has battled cramping since October.
- With the Big 12 tourney (March 10) and Selection Sunday (March 15), time is tight.
For the first time all season, Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson has played at least 30 minutes in three straight games.
The KU guard has had a difficult season health-wise. Peterson has missed 11 games due to various health issues, and when he has played, he’s rarely been fully healthy.
In fact, he’s dealt with cramping issues since October — and possibly longer. The variety of absences has muddied the water on his draft value, with recent reports suggesting he’s no longer a lock as the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft.
Despite playing more minutes lately, he’s still not fully healthy ahead of the Jayhawks’ last regular-season road game, Tuesday at Arizona State (8 p.m. Central, FS1).
“I think he’s doing better,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I still don’t think that he’s where he needs to be (in terms of) explosiveness. I think he’s closer, but I still think there’s another step he can take.”
Peterson’s high school coach, Ryan Bernardi of Prolific Prep, had talked to The Star about Peterson’s diminished explosiveness as far back as January. As March rolls around, it’s still a storyline.
For Peterson and the Jayhawks, the clock is ticking. The Big 12 Tournament begins March 10 and Selection Sunday is March 15. Kansas still has not quite figured out how to play with Peterson in a way that maximizes the team’s ceiling.
“We’re at the point now, it’s at the end, so one way or another, we’ve got to put that in the rearview mirror,” Self said. “Obviously, if your body doesn’t feel that way, then it’s hard to do, but I do think he’s gaining on it.”
Peterson scored 24 points Saturday against Arizona. Before that game, he’d reached 20 points only one time in his last eight contests.
He is averaging 19.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for KU (21-8, 11-5 Big 12). He is averaging 27.6 minutes per game.
This story was originally published March 3, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Bill Self says Darryn Peterson ‘doing better’ with cramping as postseason nears."
