Kansas Adjusts Darryn Peterson Injury Status Following New Evaluation

For nearly two months, the Kansas basketball program has been trying to determine how to resolve Darryn Peterson's mysterious injury.

The star freshman from Prolific Prep has appeared in just four of the Jayhawks' 11 games this season due to a lingering leg ailment. The injury has previously been described as both cramping and hamstring tightness, but head coach Bill Self revealed a new area of concern following Saturday's win against NC State.

Peterson checked out late in the second half, not because of his hamstring, but due to quad tightness — an issue that had never been mentioned publicly until now.

"I have no idea [what Peterson's status will be vs. Towson]," Self said to the media on Monday. "He had some, not hamstring, based on what I was told, but some quad cramping there. To me, it was evident that he wasn't moving at the pace that he has got to move at, the way people are going to guard him and that stuff. So, it was obviously bothering him."

What was once thought to be a straightforward hamstring injury has seemingly spread to different parts of his leg, raising new questions about the true nature of the injury and whether KU has been fully transparent throughout the process.

Fans grew increasingly anxious during Peterson's seven-game absence before he finally returned in the Border Showdown against Missouri. However, those concerns resurfaced this past weekend when he subbed out with just over two minutes remaining against the Wolfpack after signaling to the training staff that he needed to come out.

While Peterson did play a season-high 31 minutes in the victory, it has become apparent that the tightness in his hamstring and/or quad is preventing him from comfortably playing a full game. Since then, Coach Self has once again referred to Peterson as day-to-day, creating even more uncertainty surrounding the situation.

Despite not being at full strength, the projected top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft has still produced at a high level, averaging a team-high 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 52.8% from the field.

Unfortunately, the underlying issue remains unclear. Is it his hamstring? Is it his quad? At the moment, no one seems to have a definitive answer.

What Kansas fans do know is that if this injury lingers deep into conference play, the Jayhawks could be staring at another early exit in March Madness.

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