Peterson's hamstring remains a worry, though Self indicates a return is imminent.

Rodney Knuppel

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Peterson’s hamstring still a concern, but Self says return is close image

TL;DR

  • Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson is sidelined with a hamstring strain, missing his third straight game.
  • Coach Bill Self expects Peterson's return soon, but his availability for the Players Era Festival is uncertain.
  • Peterson, a highly-touted recruit, averaged 21.5 points in his first two games for Kansas.
  • Jayden Dawson and Bryson Tiller have seen increased roles for Kansas in Peterson's absence.

Kansas's promising freshman, Darryn Peterson, is still out of action, though coach Bill Self anticipates a swift return. Peterson sat out his third consecutive contest Tuesday evening, during which the Jayhawks fell 78–66 to Duke at the Champions Classic held in New York.

The school listed his issue as a hamstring strain, the first time it has been described that way publicly. Self said the staff is encouraged by how things are progressing, even if the guard isn’t ready yet.

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“He’s had hamstring tightness, which is caused by a slight hamstring strain,” Self said after the game. “Until that settles down, he’s not going to feel confident pushing off it. We actually feel good about what we're doing. We don’t think it’ll be long.”

Peterson has also experienced cramping, but Self indicated that issue appears to have subsided. Kansas trainers are scheduled to assess him again this week, which will assist in deciding if he's able to participate in next week's Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.

What comes next for Kansas

The Jayhawks are scheduled to play Notre Dame on Monday and Syracuse on Tuesday, with a third opponent to follow on Wednesday. Self did not dismiss the possibility of Peterson being absent for the entire event.

“He could not be available to us,” Self said. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Before the injury, Peterson averaged 21.5 points over his first two games and immediately looked like one of the top young guards in the country. He entered the season as the No. 2 recruit in the SC NEXT 100 and is projected as the No. 1 pick in ESPN’s 2026 mock draft.

Kansas has relied more on Loyola Chicago transfer Jayden Dawson and redshirt freshman Bryson Tiller in his absence. Tre White scored 22 points versus Duke, and Melvin Council Jr. And Flory Bidunga also contributed significantly to the offense.

Peterson is expected to return to Kansas at some point; the only remaining question is whether his return will be in Las Vegas or shortly thereafter.

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