The offseason has begun for Kansas basketball, and Bill Self is looking to upgrade his roster after consecutive years of disappointment in Lawrence. At the forefront of Self’s solution to bring the Jayhawks back to greatness is Darryn Peterson, a top-3 recruit in the Class of 2025 and one of KU’s most anticipated freshmen of all time.
Peterson is expected to orchestrate the offense next season, with his exceptional ball-handling skills and ability to size up defenders in isolation. KU will give him the keys as he looks to cement himself as a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The McDonald’s All-American was in Lawrence this week for the 2025 Grind Session High School Basketball World Championships. When the prized recruit was asked who he was most excited to play with at Kansas, he responded with the name of a Jayhawk phenom.
Who is Darryn Peterson looking forward to playing with most at Kansas next season?
— Matt Foster (@MattFosterTV) March 23, 2025
"Flory."#kubball | #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/F7OC0v2tp6
Darryn Peterson can’t wait to play with Flory Bidunga at Kansas
To no one’s surprise, Peterson looks forward to playing with his future center at KU, Flory Bidunga. A fan favorite among the Jayhawk faithful, the incoming sophomore has hefty expectations next season.
Like Peterson, Bidunga has NBA aspirations for his post-Kansas career and could be a first-round pick with the right development. Despite limited playing time as a freshman, the 6-foot-9 big man was one of the most revered paint presences in the Big 12. He averaged 1.6 blocks across 34 contests and 16.3 minutes per game, ranking fourth in the conference.
Peterson is arguably the best high school recruit to commit to Kansas since Andrew Wiggins. He has overpowered the competition in high school, outdueling top-ranked recruit AJ Dybantsa on several occasions and being named the Naismith High School Player of the Year. While Coach Self’s teams are usually oozing in depth, the 2025-26 team will be led by two young talents, barring any major transfer portal acquisitions.
If Peterson is as good as advertised, he and Bidunga could be one of the most dominant one-two punches in college basketball. Nonetheless, it should be a significant upgrade from what fans have watched the past handful of years, given the offensive limitations of Dajuan Harris.