Today, Kansas head coach Bill Self spoke with the media ahead of Kansas’ first game of the 2025-26 season.
Over the last week, Kansas has played in two exhibitions, the first a 90-82 win over the No. 11 Louisville Cardinals, where freshman phenom Darryn Peterson shone for 26 points on an incredible 9-15 mark from the field.
The second, a 71-35 win over Division II side Fort Hays State. Peterson, however, was missing, with what was later tabbed as a stomach bug. However, against the Cardinals, Peterson missed nearly the entirety of the second half thanks to cramping.
When speaking with the media, here is what Self had to say on Peterson.
“He’s fine, he practiced today full speed. So is he 100%? Probably not, but is he practicing? Yes, so I certainly don’t anticipate holding him anymore from this point forward, you know, unless something else happens.”
This is great news for Kansas fans. Peterson was granted a rare five-star status and has back-and-forth switches between the nation’s consensus No.1 and No. 2 spots in the class of 2025, before finally holding it in its grasp, according to 247Sports.
In Peterson’s only minutes as a Jayhawk, the freshman exuded a calmness on the ball and looked to be able to run the offense without a hitch. Peterson’s scoring came with ease, and his 6-10 mark from beyond the arc resembled numbers many would find satisfactory inside the paint. Peterson also notched four rebounds, two assists, and five steals. However, Peterson’s six turnovers do leave clear room for improvement.
With Peterson set to be on go, the first chance to see him play will be next Monday at 7 p.m. CT against the Green Bay Phoenix from the Horizon League. Last season, the Phoenix marked a 4-28 record. Streaming for the game can be found on ESPN+
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