Could Kansas Struggle to Adapt to New Offense if Darryn Peterson Returns?

The big question surrounding Kansas basketball has been when Darryn Peterson is going to return from his hamstring injury.

His teammates have needed to figure out ways to play without him, as he typically leads the offense with his superb shot-making and ball-handling ability.

In his place, players like Flory Bidunga and Tre White have stepped up and made a bigger difference offensively. But with Peterson's potential return looming against UConn, will the Jayhawks have some trouble adjusting to their star player getting back on the court?

Don’t Expect Darryn Peterson’s Return to Immediately Go Smoothly

In the six games Peterson was absent from the lineup, Kansas didn't necessarily excel in the half-court. What it did do was come up with defensive stops and run in transition off of misses.

Melvin Council Jr. was the primary ball handler, and despite his offensive limitations, he was excellent at running the fast break and setting up his teammates.

With Peterson expected to take on the majority of the ball-handling duties, that could look different. He will look to score in isolation more often and could even disrupt the natural flow of the offense at times.

Having Peterson active is obviously better compared to the alternative, but the point stands regardless. The Jayhawks have played a different brand of basketball without him.

Nov 26, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) shoots the ball in the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2025 Players Era Festival third place game at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In the two games Peterson did play, this team looked completely different. Bidunga wasn't as aggressive offensively, and certain players took a step back in their roles to let Peterson do his thing.

At the end of the day, though, basketball is a five-man game, and KU can't rely on Peterson to do everything. Bill Self is going to need to find a balance between letting Peterson create in isolation while still keeping the rest of the offense moving and involved.

Another question looming is how other contributors will respond to Peterson's potential return. Will Bidunga and White continue to be aggressive with the ball in their hands and look to score? That is something worth watching if Peterson returns tonight.

Once again, we aren't suggesting that Kansas is better off without Peterson by any means. But when a gelling team plays nearly a month's worth of basketball without such a ball-dominant player in the lineup, it is bound to have some growing pains.

Editor's note: At the time of writing this article, Peterson's status has not been revealed. We will update this story accordingly when he is announced as active or inactive.