Kansas Basketball: Why Darryn Peterson Deserves to be Remembered Fondly by Jayhawk Fans

Kansas basketball freshman Darryn Peterson likely played his last game in a KU uniform this weekend after the Jayhawks exited the NCAA Tournament following a heartbreaking loss to St. John’s in the second round.

He was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points on 5-of-15 shooting from the field and 3-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. He also grabbed four rebounds and had four blocks in the Jayhawks’ 67-65 loss.

In KU’s first round matchup versus Cal Baptist, Peterson set a Kansas record for most points scored by a freshman in an NCAA Tournament game with 28 points on 11-of-24 shooting. And his 49 points scored in the tournament gave him an average of 20.2 points per game this season – also a record for a Kansas freshman.

He accomplished that in spite of missing 11 games this season, which was a big topic of discussion during the season among the media and Kansas fans alike. Peterson has now addressed the reason for his absence multiple times now, even as recently in the locker room following KU’s loss to St. John’s.

Darryn Peterson speaks on what he'll remember at Kansas.

"A team full of brothers. I had a coach that believed in me from the jump. Through all the ups and downs, he believed in me. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else from here."#kubball
(courtesy of @KUSINews) pic.twitter.com/YNWI0Iylel
— Kole Emplit (@KoleEmplit) March 23, 2026

"If I was able to be out there, I would've been out there," Peterson told CBS Sports. "I've seen some stuff about me not loving basketball. Not wanting to play. Being a bad teammate, or load management, and all that other BS, I would say. I said before, basketball is all I know. It's all I've ever had besides my family. There's nothing I love more."

You could argue that Peterson, along with his agent and family, could have said something sooner about what was plaguing him this year, and perhaps that would have changed the negative narrative that clouded a large part of his freshman season. But you can also take him at his word that he was hurt and did not intentionally miss game time as many have suggested.

If you can do that, then you can appreciate the greatness we all witnessed nearly every time he stepped onto the floor. You can celebrate the fact that we had a generational talent in Lawrence who expressed his love and appreciation for his coach, teammates, and the city that he’s called home these last several months – one he hopes to be able to call home in the future.

Darryn Peterson is one of the most gifted freshmen to ever put on a Kansas uniform, and that is how he should be remembered.

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