Predicting college decision for Darryn Peterson: Ohio State or Kansas basketball?

Bill Self and the Kansas basketball program have had eyes on highly touted recruit Darryn Peterson for quite some time. His deep-rooted relationship with Adidas has connected him to the Jayhawks and made them a frontrunner to win his recruitment.

On Friday night, Peterson will make his long-awaited college decision. While Kansas State and USC are in his final list, they are not considered to be in the mix. He is likely deciding between Kansas and Ohio State. Which school will the Ohio native wind up at?

Which school will Darryn Peterson commit to?

There’s a reason Peterson is viewed so highly by recruiting analysts. The 6-foot-5 combo guard is among the best scorers and playmakers in his class. He is arguably more NBA-ready than any of his 2025 peers. He’ll play his senior year at Prolific Prep after spending one season at Huntington Prep (West Virginia).

It has been a while since the Jayhawks have landed a high schooler of Peterson’s caliber. The last time Self landed a top-three player in a recruiting class was in 2016 when Josh Jackson committed to Kansas. Ironically, Jackson played two years at Prolific Prep, too. 

Landing Peterson would completely change the outlook of the Kansas basketball program. Significant talent will be lost to graduation following the 2024-25 campaign, such as Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams, Dajuan Harris, Zeke Mayo, and others. Even with the prominence of the transfer portal, Peterson would become a go-to option as a presumable one-and-done player.

As we mentioned before, K-State and USC are the odd men out in his recruitment. It will ultimately come down to KU and Ohio State. This detail is important because Peterson is from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he played his first two years of high school ball.

He has made multiple visits to both schools and is giving both serious consideration. Coach Self was in to see him earlier in October, and the meeting reportedly went well.

What separates Kansas from OSU is Peterson's ties with Adidas. Most college basketball fans know by now that KU and Adidas often work closely together. Peterson became the first high school student-athlete to sign an NIL deal with Adidas last year, with figures projecting to be in the seven-figure range.

Analysts have predicted he would commit to Kansas for several months. These include On3.com's Jamie Shaw and 247 Sports' Michael Swain and Travis Branham, each of whom placed a crystal ball in KU's favor.

After years of Kansas hoping to reel him in, Peterson’s decision day has arrived. Despite his in-state ties with the Buckeyes, the relationship with Adidas and the coaching staff runs deep. We predict Peterson will put on a Jayhawk cap and commit to Kansas basketball tonight.

Prediction: Kansas

Fans can watch his decision live on CBS Sports HQ or the 247 Sports YouTube channel at 8 p.m. CT.