The Kansas Jayhawks are about to start dancing in the NCAA Tournament, and all eyes are on the Jayhawks, but more importantly, top NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson. It certainly has not been the freshman season that many thought it would be for Peterson, but he is ready to leave all those thoughts behind in the Big Dance.
Peterson missed 11 games in the regular season for a multitude of reasons, starting with a hamstring injury and ending with lingering cramping issues. Since the postseason began, though, Peterson has been consistent with his time on the court, and he is ready to leave the cramping issues in the past.
During the team's media availability on Wednesday, Peterson spoke about his love for basketball and said that if he could have been on the court during those missed games, he would have. However, he isn't focusing on it now, but instead is ready to lead Kansas to a deep NCAA Tournament run.
"No concerns anymore, the last I don't know how many games, I have been getting through without any issues," Peterson said. "I feel like the cramps are behind me. I have been fine."
"If I was able to be out there, I would've been out there."
— Micaela Dea (@MicaelaDeaTV) March 20, 2026
After missing 11 games in the regular season, Darryn Peterson has now played in seven-straight, and he says he's 100% entering the NCAA Tournament. #kubball #marchmadness pic.twitter.com/UUF0exYMDu
Darryn Peterson is ensuring Kansas fans he is good to go for the NCAA Tournament
Something that head coach Bill Self has continued to say about Peterson is that he is the guy who can put a team on his back and take them all the way to a championship.
Kansas fans are hoping that is about the happen for the Jayhawks in the NCAA Tournament. Peterson feels like he is fully healthy for the first time in a while in a Kansas uniform, and he isn't worried about the cramping issues anymore.
The Jayhawks are set to take on Cal Baptist in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night, with tipoff tentatively set for 9:45 p.m. EST in San Diego.