Darryn Peterson Cramping Issue Continues to Plague Kansas Basketball

Darryn Peterson missed the Kansas basketball game last night against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi due to a lingering injury that remains a question for Jayhawk fans. It was the second time he missed action this season after he sat out the final exhibition of the preseason slate against Fort Hays State.

The injury, which has been described at various times as cramping, a sickness bug, and/or hamstring tightness, has left KU fans with more questions than answers.

With several pivotal nonconference games looming and uncertainty about Peterson's long-term health, an unexpected storyline has emerged in the middle of KU's season.

Darryn Peterson's Injury Is Becoming Concerning

It isn't a big deal that Peterson missed the game against Texas A&M-CC, as the Islanders were never going to put up much of a fight against the Jayhawks in the first place. KU still came away with a 31-point victory and likely won't need Peterson this Saturday against Princeton either.

But when you receive as much hype as Peterson did in the preseason, fans are going to want to see you on the court. People buy tickets expecting to see him dress, considering he is a generational prospect who could go No. 1 in next year's NBA Draft.

Although the length of this injury remains to be seen, the first time it was mentioned was after the Louisville scrimmage back on Oct. 24. How much longer should we expect this to be an excuse for him to miss games? When will these "precautionary" absences end?

We don't know, nor is Bill Self giving the fanbase any hints.

Nov 3, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Green Bay Phoenix at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Coach Self does not owe the entire state of Kansas an explanation for why Peterson is missing these games. The ultimate goal for this team is to finish the season atop the Big 12 standings and make a deep run in March.

However, if this is an issue that continues into next month and potentially beyond, it would be disastrous if the Jayhawks were without Peterson for some key games down the stretch.

After all, this entire roster was structured around him, and there is no clear No. 2 option to score the ball behind him.

Hopefully, this situation figures itself out and is forgotten about in the coming weeks. We just aren't too sure that will be the case.

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