Kansas Navigating Darryn Peterson’s Ongoing Injury Battle with Caution and Optimism
Kansas head coach Bill Self has heard just about every home remedy under the sun when it comes to treating cramps - mustard packets, bananas, pickle juice - you name it. But when it comes to his star freshman guard Darryn Peterson, the Jayhawks are leaning less on folk wisdom and more on medical expertise to get their leading scorer back on the court.
Peterson, the highly touted freshman out of Canton, Ohio, hasn’t seen consistent floor time this season, despite averaging an eye-popping 19.8 points per game on 52.8% shooting when he has played. His talent is undeniable - but so far, it’s been a stop-and-start campaign.
“He’s not dealing with the hamstring anymore,” Self clarified after Kansas’ 73-49 win over Towson on Tuesday night. “Now it’s cramps in his quad. His body just isn’t reacting the way it should.”
It’s been a frustrating stretch for both Peterson and the program. He played through cramps in the first two games of the season before a hamstring strain sidelined him for a month. He returned for two games - one of which he played through illness in the Border War against Missouri - only to sit out again Tuesday due to the new issue with his quadriceps.
And while Self noted that Peterson did practice on Monday, it was clear he wasn’t moving like himself.
“His brain’s telling him to go at a certain pace, and his body just isn’t following,” Self said. “We still think it’s day-to-day.
We still think we’ll get through this. But until he can actually move the way he’s programmed to move, we’ll stay cautious.”
That caution makes sense. Kansas isn’t just trying to get Peterson back - they’re trying to reintegrate him into a team that’s still finding its rhythm.
The Jayhawks wrap up nonconference play Monday night against Davidson before a 12-day break leading into their Big 12 opener at UCF on January 3. That gives the staff a window to get Peterson closer to full strength - but also raises the question: can he play a full game when he returns?
So far, he hasn’t. In the win over NC State on Saturday, Peterson exited with just over two minutes remaining. Self was encouraged by how long he lasted, but it’s clear the coaching staff is still navigating how to manage his minutes - and how to build chemistry with a player who’s been in and out of the lineup.
“I’m not worried,” Self said. “But I am concerned.
This team needs time together. It’s not like, ‘He practiced two days, now he’s ready.’
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.”
That’s the challenge Kansas faces now - not just getting Peterson healthy, but getting everyone on the same page once he’s back. That includes understanding how to balance his role as a primary scorer with the growth of other players in his absence.
“Everybody’s got to fit back in,” Self said. “Darryn’s got to know, ‘Hey, these guys can make plays too, and I can help them.’ And they’ve got to know, ‘He’s still our leading scorer, he still needs to get 15, 17 shots a game.’”
The silver lining? The emergence of Melvin Council Jr. has been a bright spot.
Council exploded for 36 points at the Lenovo Center on Saturday and followed it up with an efficient 15-point performance on Tuesday. That kind of offensive spark may not have surfaced if Peterson had been fully healthy all season.
“If we can figure this out - and I think we can - we might be a better team in February than we would’ve been otherwise,” Self said.
That’s the bet Kansas is making right now: that short-term uncertainty could lead to long-term upside. But for that to happen, Peterson’s body has to start matching the pace of his basketball instincts - and the Jayhawks have to find the right rhythm around him.