Bill Self has built a Kansas basketball roster differently this season than in the past few years. This team will feature a superstar freshman in Darryn Peterson and a rising star sophomore in Flory Bidunga.
The roster is underclassmen-heavy, with only four seniors, all portal transfers, and no juniors. Everyone else is a freshman or sophomore.
The keys to the season will be if Peterson is as good as advertised, if Bidunga can improve as much as expected, and if the complementary players around them are good enough to prevent defenses from focusing too much on the stars.
National analyst impressed by Kansas basketball star Darryn Peterson
ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla spent some time observing Kansas basketball workouts this week. H came away very impressed with Peterson. Franschila has worked on many Big 12 games over the years, and he is often the analyst for KU games.
He was particularly awed by Peterson’s ability to hit three-pointers.
Wanted to give it 24 hours for me to digest what I saw at @KUHoops practice but @Darryn_P1 hit EIGHT straight 3’s, some highly contested, in an intra-squad scrimmage yesterday. In addition to having an incredible feel & IQ for the game, THAT was ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/VhzmwPDfFa
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) September 4, 2025
Frashcilla has been around the game long enough not to be overly excited about scrimmages, but he made a point of the fact that Peterson’s eight consecutive three-pointers weren’t all wide-open looks. The analyst is clear that he was well-defended on at least some of them.
This is all good news for the Kansas basketball team. KU has struggled in recent years with perimeter shooting. Suppose Peterson can be highly effective from behind the arc. In that case, it will divert attention away from Bidunga on the inside, and it should create more opportunities for whichever players are on the court around the two stars.
It is also encouraged that someone as experienced in judging talent likes the intangibles Peterson will bring. Talent is terrific, but combining that with a feel for the game and a high basketball IQ bodes well for the Jayhawks this season.
24/7 work on full display: #RockChalk x @Darryn_P1 pic.twitter.com/c27XfgFsrn
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) September 4, 2025
The Jayhawks need a good season to remind everyone how good a coach Bill Self is. A freshman of Peterson’s caliber will undoubtedly help, but how Self and his staff meld the other players around them will be a significant factor in how this season ultimately plays out.
If Self can develop his youthful players and blend the various skills of the experienced transfers, then Kansas should outperform early national expectations. This season is shaping up to be an exciting one. Talented players like Peterson don’t come along every year, even at Kansas, so seeing how well he is doing in workouts is a positive going into the season.
Bill Self shouldn’t have to prove that he can coach, but this season might just remind everyone why he is a Hall of Fame coach. Darryn Peterson will help show everyone that Self is still the best. Rock Chalk!