LAWRENCE
I’ve had several interesting conversations with people around the world of basketball this week.
The topic? None other than KU freshman Darryn Peterson. Multiple NBA scouts/draft evaluators have been asking me what’s going on with the Jayhawks star.
I’ve told them all what I’ve reported throughout the season: I keep hearing that Peterson really is still dealing with those cramping issues. I’ve heard this from his camp as well as sources around Kansas Athletics.
In fact, a source familiar with the situation said that when Peterson experienced “flu-like symptoms” earlier in the season, he lost about 10 pounds.
So this has been a difficult year for Peterson health-wise. The messaging around his status hasn’t been great and that’s led to speculation and questions from NBA evaluators and fans alike.
When Peterson called himself an “antisocial loner,” that, too, raised some eyebrows across basketball. I’ve had multiple people ask me if he’s doing OK overall.
That got me thinking: Has everything that’s happened in the past month changed Peterson’s draft stock? The consensus seems to be, perhaps a little bit, but not really.
One NBA Draft evaluator told The Star that the gap between Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has shrunk. This person suggested the door is “way more open than it has been” for the latter player to be selected No. 1 overall, ahead of Peterson.
This particular evaluator still lists Peterson as his top choice, however, noting it will likely come down to which team lands the top pick. Even in worst-case scenarios, the expectation is that Peterson won’t drop past No. 2 unless something unforeseen happens.
According to multiple NBA sources, some teams might be more comfortable picking second this summer, as opposed to first, because the Peterson-or-Dybantsa decision would in effect be made for them.
Does it matter that Peterson has missed 11 games because of health issues during the Jayhawks’ 2025-26 season? For some teams it does.
Darryn Peterson has already missed 11 games for KU basketball, and he’s been limited in others. Neil Nakahodo The Kansas City Star
One NBA scout who has long followed the careers of both players likes Dybantsa over Peterson because the BYU star has been more reliably available this year. But he also wants to see traits and skills Peterson showed in high school — explosion and consistency, to name two — become more apparent before Peterson departs KU.
Peterson’s quieter demeanor, compared to that of the outspoken Dybantsa, is an interesting contrast, too. On this, it probably comes down to the characteristics valued most by each NBA front office. One NBA scout said he liked Dybantsa’s “alpha dawg” demeanor.
A scout for another NBA team, meanwhile, said he wasn’t concerned about that. This scout, who’s followed Peterson since his freshman year of high school, said the vibe he gets from Peterson is that he’s a “solid dude that works hard and loves the game.”
To this scout’s point, that’s all I’ve heard from those currently surrounding Peterson, including KU head coach Bill Self. This scout said the suspicion that Peterson doesn’t care or isn’t hurt is “uncharacteristic and that it’s a real injury/caution, but the PR hasn’t been great.”
It’s clear to anyone who watches him play that Peterson hasn’t been fully healthy this season. But the clock is ticking on KU’s 2025-26 campaign, so there’s a sense of urgency to develop ways of playing better even when Peterson isn’t fully healthy.
I think Self understands that, because he’s called out Peterson more frequently in recent weeks. And if KU makes a deep NCAA run with Peterson playing, a lot of these issues will seem much less pressing. Who would even remember the games he missed during the regular season at that point?
With that, it’s time for another Kansas Jayhawks Q&A. Thanks, as always, for the questions …
Who would you project/want to be KU MBB coach after Self inevitably retires? @derekho23
This is a great question. My list would probably include Dusty May, Dan Hurley, Jacque Vaughn and Todd Golden.
Here’s what I know: I don’t foresee a future where Hurley lands in Lawrence. I’ve known him for years and he’s an East Coast guy. If he leaves UConn, it’d more likely be for an NBA job in the East, not another college position.
As for Vaughn, there’s certainly some level of intrigue. A source familiar with the situation told The Star months ago that Vaughn came to KU with an open mind. He wanted to figure out whether he could see himself as a college head coach as much as KU wanted to see if he’s a potential fit as Self’s successor.
As I’ve reported before, Vaughn has worked closely with Peterson and Bidunga, and both players have taken a liking to him.
As for the other two names I mentioned at the top, those guys are two of the best coaches in college basketball. As such, you have to make a run at both of them.
I think any of these four would be a good choice.
Any statement on KU camping? @Maxsiwak_
From everything I’ve read, it’s good that the institution got exposed for rigging the lotteries toward those in fraternities and sororities.
As someone who was in a South Asian fraternity in college, though, I’m not super-surprised this was happening. Hopefully, changes will be made and the process will be made more fair for all involved.
¡Viva la Revolución!
Early KU football bold prediction? @NickSpringer29
Even with the growing pains that come with breaking in a new quarterback, I expect the Jayhawks’ offense to be better in the 2026 season.
Why do I like the KU offense’s chances of bouncing back strong? Because Andy Kotelnicki is back with the program as offensive coordinator.
This story was originally published February 27, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Related Stories from Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
Shreyas Laddha covers KU hoops and football for The Star. He’s a Georgia native and graduated from the University of Georgia.