The Kansas Jayhawks may not have finished the regular season the way they would have liked to, being 3-4 in their final seven games; however, it is March, and everyone knows crazy things happen in March.
Kansas was able to finish the regular season with a huge win over rival Kansas State, dropping over 100 points on the Wildcats. This all came on a day where the seniors were celebrated for playing their final game in Allen Fieldhouse; however, head coach Bill Self couldn't pass up an opportunity to praise his star freshman Darryn Peterson.
Peterson has dealt with injuries, sickness, and cramping issues that would not let up, and he has heard about it from everyone in the media. Some believe he is load managing to save himself for the NBA, while others believe he is truly dealing with problems he has never had before. However, he is healthy now, and Self wants to send a warning out to every other college basketball team.
"Still yet, we haven't seen the best," Self said. "Today you saw how easy it was when he's [Peterson] finally feeling good...guys, he's good enough to put a team on his back for two or three weeks."
Bill Self on Darryn Peterson: “Today you saw how easy it was when he’s finally feeling good.”
— Sam Lance (@slancehoops) March 7, 2026
“He can put a team on his back for two or three weeks.” #KUbball pic.twitter.com/hfN66xRqb0
Darryn Peterson can rewrite his entire freshman season with a strllar March performance
Peterson has been through it this season. He came in projected to be the best player in college basketball, be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, and just simply take over the season. Best laid plans, right?
Peterson is now out of contention for Player of the Year with the number of games he missed this season, and even his hold on the No. 1 overall pick is in jeopardy. All of this could change, though, if Peterson can take his talent and show everyone the preseason talk was true.
Kansas has a chance to go and win a Big 12 Tournament title, but also make some noise in the NCAA Tournament. In March, it doesn't always matter who the best team is, but which team will get hot at the right time. If Kansas can find a way, with Peterson leading them, to get hot at the right time, this Jayhawks team has a chance to go very far and maybe even bring home a National Championship.