Kansas basketball recruiting target takes visit to Jayhawks rival school

Is this smoke and mirrors or real trouble for Kansas?

Huntington Prep Basketball
Huntington Prep Basketball | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bill Self has done quite the job on the recruiting trail over the past few years, putting together one of the best Kansas basketball rosters in a long time for the 2024-25 campaign. While his biggest recent acquisitions have come via the transfer portal, the Hall of Fame coach is still killing it on the high school circuit.

5-star guard Darryn Peterson has long been connected to the Jayhawks due to his ties to Adidas (he was the first high school athlete to sign an NIL deal with the brand). Kansas is still considered the school to beat in the race for the No. 3 ranked player in the Class of 2025. However, Peterson embarked on an official visit last weekend that might make the Jayhawk faithful wince:

Darryn Peterson embarks on visit to KU's rival school

That's right β€” you're looking at a potential future Jayhawk donning royal purple. If you've read this far, you don't need an explanation that K-State and Kansas do not get along.

Peterson traveled to Manhattan to watch the Wildcats play Oklahoma State in football. He has now taken visits to all of his four final schools (Kansas, K-State, Ohio State, and USC), meaning his decision date is likely nearing closer. His visit to Lawrence occurred in June.

The incoming senior at Prolific Prep would be one of the best high school players to ever commit to Kansas under Bill Self. He is a 6-foot-5 phenom with physical tools that separate him from every other guard in the country. He can score the ball with ease and has great defensive instincts with his length.

Considering Peterson is from Canton, Ohio, the Buckeyes make perfect sense for him. USC also has its respective qualities school-wise. However, K-State must be offering him quite a significant NIL deal if he is regarding them in the same class as Kansas.

While committing to the Jayhawks' rival school would make him a hated figure in Allen Fieldhouse, there is no reason to believe KU is no longer the frontrunner to land him. He has maintained a close relationship with the coaching staff during the offseason, and the Adidas connections make it far too obvious. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Peterson ends up at Kansas when it's all said and done.

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