Darryn Peterson Leaves Kansas Win Early Due To Cramping, Raising NCAA Tournament Concerns

Kansas star guard Darryn Peterson exited Wednesday's 81-69 victory over Oklahoma State after scoring 23 points in 19 minutes, the latest injury setback in a freshman season plagued by physical issues. The potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft asked to be removed from the game after hitting a second-half 3-pointer and sat the final 17:22 due to cramping.

Bill Self said he did not anticipate Peterson would be limited against the Cowboys.

"I thought he was good to go," Self told reporters. "But we only got 18 minutes out of him. That's disappointing because he could have had a really big night. But one thing about it is it's happened often enough that our guys have learned to play without him."

Peterson has appeared in 15 of Kansas' 26 games this season, playing 30-plus minutes in just six contests. Injuries to his hamstring, quad, and ankle, along with flu-like symptoms, have restricted his availability. Cramping also forced him to sit the final 16:46 against BYU on January 31.

No. 8 Kansas (20-6, 10-3 Big 12) has won nine of its last 10 games to establish itself as a March contender, but Self expressed concern about Peterson's recurring cramping issues with the NCAA Tournament four weeks away.

"I thought we were past it, but obviously we're not," Self told reporters. "It's certainly a concern. You get into the NCAA Tournament, you're playing a team just as good as you and you need to have all your best players available. Yeah, all it takes is for one day like that to derail not only a game, but a season."

Peterson is averaging 20 points in 26.9 minutes per game. The Jayhawks are 9-2 in games he has missed this season. Peterson is represented by Darren Matsubara.