Kansas freshman star Darryn Peterson won't be available for 3-game tourney: 'He's right there, close'

Gary Bedore, The Kansas City Star on Nov 21, 2025

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LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson will not play in the upcoming Players Era men’s college basketball tournament in Las Vegas, Jayhawks coach Bill Self said Friday.

Peterson, the 6-foot-6 native of Canton, Ohio, has a hamstring strain and has missed the Jayhawks’ last three games. He currently is not practicing but has been working on individual drills.

“We’re not going to have Darryn in Vegas, although we have reevaluated and he’s right there, close,” Self said. “But he hasn’t quite done enough to put him in position to go out and play multiple games in a short span like that.”

During the Thanksgiving-week tourney, KU will play Notre Dame at 2:30 p.m. Central Time on Monday, Syracuse at 2:30 p.m. CT Tuesday and a yet-to-be determined team at a yet-to-be determined time on Wednesday or Thursday.

“So we’re hopeful he’s running and cutting and doing all those things while we’re in Vegas,” Self said, “but not to the point where he’s probably ready to play.”

Of Peterson’s current status, Self said: “He’s doing individuals and that stuff. But as far as the team stuff (scrimmaging), he’s not doing that. He hasn’t done that yet.”

Self said before Tuesday’s 78-66 loss to Duke in New York: “First of all, Darryn ... the guy is getting treatment four times a day. I’’ve heard people say ‘load management’ or that he could play. No, he can’t, and I’m not going to let him. I mean, there’s no reason to put him out there and risk making something not serious serious. But it is significant enough that he’ll be reevaluated at the end of the week, and we’ll go from there.

“But he’s doing everything he can,” Self added.

KU senior guard Melvin Council Jr., said the team will not dwell on the loss of Peterson.

“Without Darryn we’ve still got a chance to do a lot of good things,” Council said, “and we know that we need to do a lot of good things without him to make sure that he’s in the right spot when he comes back.”

KU’s next game after the Las Vegas trip will be Dec. 2 versus UConn. Tipoff for that game against the Huskies is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.