Kansas Star Darryn Peterson Questionable with Ankle Injury Ahead of Big 12 Clash
Kansas may be facing its next Big 12 test without its biggest weapon. Darryn Peterson, the Jayhawks’ standout freshman and projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is questionable after suffering a significant ankle sprain. Peterson has been electric all season, averaging 21.6 points per game on an efficient 49.3% shooting, along with 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
Head coach Bill Self didn’t mince words about the severity of the injury - or the uncertainty surrounding Peterson’s availability.
“He’s getting treatment,” Self told reporters. “He’s got a pretty severe ankle sprain.
But fortunately, that’s all it is. So hopefully, he’ll be able to go and play, but we’re not at a point where we can make a decision yet.”
For Kansas, Peterson’s presence isn’t just a luxury - it’s a lifeline. He’s been the engine behind their offense, a three-level scorer who can create his own shot and draw defensive attention every time he touches the ball. Without him, the Jayhawks will need to reshuffle their offensive identity and lean more heavily on secondary scorers to fill the void.
On the other side of the court, Kansas State is coming off a much-needed confidence booster - their first Big 12 win of the season, a gritty victory over Utah. The trio of David Castillo, Nate Johnson, and PJ Haggerty erupted for a combined 71 points, breaking out of a collective slump at exactly the right time.
“I’m super proud of them,” head coach Jerome Tang said postgame. “I would’ve been proud of them if we were 5-0, but this happened.
Just to see what these dudes are like - we’ve got high-character guys. They show up every day, they bring energy, and we’re learning how to just move on to the next thing.”
Tang’s message was clear: the win was a step forward, but not the destination. The Wildcats are still very much in recovery mode after a rough start to their conference slate, and the road ahead remains steep. The loss of sharpshooter Abdi Bashir Jr. for the long term only adds to the challenge, as does the uncertain status of key frontcourt contributors who remain day-to-day.
That means the margin for error is razor-thin. The stars have to stay hot, and the role players - the glue guys, the bench spark plugs - need to elevate their game.
Tang, though, isn’t shying away from the adversity. In fact, he’s embracing it.
“There’s this story in this book I love to read about a guy named Gideon,” Tang shared. “He was going through a tough time and had a battle to fight.
He had a group of people with him, and God told him he had too many. So he got rid of a bunch of them.
God said, ‘You still have too many, so get rid of some more.’ We had that experience happen to us this last week.”
That kind of perspective - blending faith, resilience, and a belief in his locker room - is something Tang has leaned on before. And with the Wildcats still short-handed and trying to claw their way back into the Big 12 race, they’ll need every ounce of that belief.
As for Kansas, all eyes will be on Peterson’s ankle. His status could swing the momentum of the upcoming matchup - and potentially the trajectory of the Jayhawks’ season.