Darryn Peterson Cramping Issue Could Cost Kansas in UNC Matchup

A key storyline to watch ahead of Friday's matchup between No. 19 Kansas and No. 25 North Carolina is the injury status of Darryn Peterson.

The star freshman from Prolific Prep has been as good as advertised since first appearing in the exhibition against Louisville and then the season opener against Green Bay. But in both of those matchups, Peterson's strong first halves were disrupted by a leg cramping issue that limited his second half minutes and even held him out for the rest of the game.

Head coach Bill Self has stated multiple times that this isn't viewed as a long-term ailment and should be resolved soon, but it is clearly still a problem heading into the game against UNC.

Don’t Cramp up on Us Again, Darryn!

It is well known that KU assembled its roster this offseason around Peterson. Without him, the offense simply doesn't work, especially this early in the season when other players are still figuring out their roles.

Peterson's unofficial debut as a Jayhawk vs. the Cardinals was extraordinary, as he poured in 24 points and six threes in the first 20 minutes. However, he was severely hampered by cramping in the second half, where he posted just two points in 10 minutes.

Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) scored 26 points as the Jayhawks beat host Louisville 90-82 during an exhibition game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Friday, October 24, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He was then held out of the ensuing scrimmage vs. Fort Hays State as a precautionary measure. And this past Monday against Green Bay, Peterson played only four minutes in the second half after logging 17 in the first.

This shows that even if Peterson is on the court while his legs are cramping, he isn't nearly as effective a weapon.

It is certainly a strange situation, as cramping doesn't usually persist for an 18-year-old athlete who ranks among the best in the world. One would imagine that the team's nutritionists could prevent this with a couple of bananas or some kind of electrolyte-rich drink, but that doesn't seem to have worked so far.

Although North Carolina might not be the toughest opponent Kansas will face this season, the Jayhawks will be entering a hostile atmosphere at the Dean E. Smith Center in front of 21,000+ Tar Heel fans.

Regardless of which team you think will have the better season, the Jayhawks cannot afford for Peterson to be effective in the first half. He is going to need to play at least 30 minutes and be himself in all of them, or Kansas could find itself in a precarious situation down the stretch.

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