LAWRENCE
It’s one of the biggest questions in the basketball world right now: What’s going on with Kansas Jayhawks freshman Darryn Peterson?
A presumptive top-three pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Peterson started out red-hot against Oklahoma State on Wednesday. But he asked to come out of the game just three minutes into the second half because of cramping.
He played just 18 minutes against the Cowboys but still managed to score 23 points, and KU went on to win comfortably.
The Jayhawks’ victory, however, wasn’t the focus of social-media chatter that night or Thursday morning. It seemed like everyone from national media to hoops fans in general had an opinion about Peterson and his early exit.
I texted Kansas athletic director Travis Goff on Thursday to ask what he was making of the situation. He told me that this is real-time stuff that everyone is working through. And that he supports “Darryn in every way, shape and form, as does Bill (Self) and the entire program.”
Some suspect there’s a grand conspiracy at play here. And it is undoubtedly frustrating for everyone involved. But I keep hearing that Peterson really is still dealing with those cramping issues. I’ve heard this from his camp and also sources around KU Athletics.
The absence of any communication from his camp, or Peterson himself, hasn’t helped. Messaging is important.
I’ve said it before, but I will say it again: Because of what’s at stake for Peterson, the bar of health is higher than usual. Before his illness, things seemed to be on the mend with his cramps.
He had played two games in which he exceeded 33 minutes and experienced no cramping, according to KU head coach Bill Self. I think that’s why Self seemed to show some hint of frustration after the Oklahoma State game.
The Peterson situation remains a tricky one. The best-case scenario is that he somehow figures out his cramping issues before postseason play starts and the Jayhawks go on a deep run in March. After that, he gets picked No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft … and 10 years down the line, no one cares about his absences from KU games in the regular season of 2025-26 because he played big minutes for the Jayhawks when it mattered most.
With that, it’s time for another Kansas Jayhawks Q&A. Thanks, as always, for the questions …
Can Elmarko be a double-digit points contributor come March? (consistently) Is that too much to expect from him, or is it reasonable? @capitaljayhawk
I expect him to have games where he scores double-digits and helps KU escape with a win or two, but doing it consistently is a little tough to ask. He’s hit double-digit points just four times this season.
Is there anyone who still thinks DnP has “health issues”? Gotta be a lonely island if that person exists. @KCSportsGu16881
I know KU fans are frustrated by it all, but I do think that he’s dealing with some sort of health issues. He’s yet to put together three full games without a health concern this season.
It’s fine if you think he and his camp are being too cautious; I don’t blame you. That said, I don’t think he’s making it up at all.
Maybe I’m naive, but I’ve consistently heard otherwise.
Most Kansas fans could care less about ‘NBA draft prospects’; we care about the KS program. Why does college bball media focus the DP narrative around ‘where he gets drafted’. IMO, that’s not the story.
The reason we focus on the NBA Draft is because it’s part of the story. Peterson is projected to be selected No. 1 overall, and the level of caution surrounding his health is related to that.
You can’t tell the full story of everything that’s going on with Peterson without accounting for the fact that the looming 2026 NBA Draft is a potential reason for some of the above-referenced lack of transparency.
Last night Self said “I thought we were past (Peterson’s cramping), but obviously we’re not.” What exactly made Self think Peterson wouldn’t experience any more cramping? This has been going on for months @mdpeavy
I think he said that because Peterson had “flu-like symptoms,” he had played two games without cramping. There seemed to be some overall optimism that they had figured out the cramping, since he had played two games without an episode.
How many speeding tickets did you get at Georgia? @bewarephog
Only one. Unlike many members of the Georgia football team, I was a (mostly) law-abiding citizen. I was/ am a prolific jaywalker, though.
This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 12:48 PM.
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Shreyas Laddha
The Kansas City Star
Shreyas Laddha covers KU hoops and football for The Star. He’s a Georgia native and graduated from the University of Georgia.
