Darryn Peterson Can’t Do It Alone for Kansas Basketball Offense

There were a lot of encouraging signs from Friday's scrimmage between Kansas and Louisville for Bill Self's new-look squad.

The Jayhawks came out on top 90-82, pulling out a road victory over a team ranked just outside the top 10 nationally. It was an impressive unofficial start to the 2025-26 campaign, but it also provided some clarity on where KU stands.

In the first half, there was an onslaught of buckets from freshman phenom Darryn Peterson, who knocked down six 3-pointers and scored 24 points in the first 20 minutes. However, he scored just two in the second half, and that is when KU's flaws really began to show.

Outside of Peterson, no guard hit more than three field goals throughout the game. Melvin Council Jr. and Elmarko Jackson padded their stats a bit with late free throws, but both had poor offensive outings overall.

Council shot 1-for-9 from the floor, missing all three of his 3-point attempts, while other newcomers like Kohl Rosario (0-for-4 shooting, 0 points) and Jayden Dawson (3 minutes, 0 points) also failed to make much of an impact.

Once Louisville began double-teaming Peterson and forcing others to take shots, there was no go-to guy to carry the offense. Fans have spent all offseason questioning who the No. 2 and No. 3 scoring options will be, a question that remains without a clear answer.

Illinois transfer Tre White stepped up with 14 points and was the only player besides Peterson to hit a jumper beyond the arc. He showed some promise, though there is little reason to believe he can be a true secondary option after serving in complementary roles at his previous stops.

Flory Bidunga also added 14 points of his own but needs others to create opportunities for him around the rim to throw down his emphatic dunks. He doesn't have much of a back-to-basket game and serves primarily as a lob threat.

The Jayhawks need a proven scorer in the backcourt to take the load off Peterson's shoulders. Many expected that to be Council, and while he did show glimpses as a playmaker and secondary ball handler, his shooting inefficiency remains a concern.

Ultimately, Peterson will have to play at an All-American level if Kansas wants to be a legitimate Big 12 contender, but his teammates must step up when he is getting a breather or having an off-night. Right now, there is still no answer for who the next-best offensive option is.