Darryn Peterson Is Still Following Kansas As What-If Debate Grows

Despite a rocky NBA start, Darryn Peterson's heart remains with the Kansas Jayhawks, keeping a close eye on their progress and his former teammates.

Darryn Peterson may be in the NBA now, but Kansas still has his attention.

The former Jayhawk caught the closing stretch of Kansas’ win over Kentucky from the Utah Jazz training room, according to Salt Lake Tribune Utah Jazz reporter and former Kansas basketball reporter Shreya Laddha. That came after Utah lost to the Miami Heat for its ninth straight defeat, and Peterson still had reason to smile once he saw what his old team was doing.

He also had a front-row view of Tre White’s big night. White went off for 20 points against Kentucky, giving Peterson another reminder of what Kansas looks like when it’s rolling.

Darryn Peterson told me that he was watching the end of the Kansas-Kentucky game in the training room.

Pointed out that Tre White dropped 30.

“Big dub, Rock Chalk.”

  • Shreyas Laddha (@shre98) November 11, 2026

Peterson’s path away from Lawrence didn’t exactly end cleanly, but the support for Kansas is still there. Even while trying to settle into life with the Jazz, he’s clearly still tuned in to what his former teammates are doing.

The NBA move has brought the money and the access to the game’s best competition, but the results in Utah have been rough. Peterson, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is 1-11 this season with the Jazz, who are riding a 10-game losing streak.

Before he ever got to this point, Peterson was viewed as a one-and-done candidate at Kansas. Injuries and cramping were part of the story there, and he ultimately chose to leave after a shorter college run and jump to the league.

The numbers show the adjustment has been real. Peterson is averaging 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, and while his shot has improved game by game, he still hasn’t fully shown the star-level impact many expected.

Still, he’s watching Kansas closely from Utah. And with the way the Jayhawks are playing, Peterson is making sure they know he’s still in their corner.

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