The Three Best Moments From Darryn Peterson’s Freshman Year So Far

To say the least, Darryn Peterson has not had the smoothest freshman season for the Kansas basketball program. Between constant injury absences and late-game disappearances, his lack of availability has often mired his first and only year in Lawrence.

However, the talent he possesses when he is on the court is undeniable. The Ohio Native is one of the most talented guard prospects in recent history and scores the ball with a natural ease that cannot be described.

In just 12 games and 327 total minutes played, Peterson has created several unforgettable memories in the crimson and blue. These three moments are undoubtedly his best as a Jayhawk thus far.

3. Game-Tying Free Throws Against TCU

After opening Big 12 action with a loss, Kansas direly needed a bounce-back win in its conference home opener against TCU. But after trailing by as many as 16 in a second-half collapse, it appeared the Jayhawks would open league play with consecutive defeats.

That was, until Peterson stepped in to save the day.

Although he did not play the final few minutes of the night due to his lingering cramping and cost his team a possession when he asked to be subbed out of the game, Peterson returned to the court for the final possession down three points. TCU committed a pointless foul from behind the arc and sent him to the charity stripe, and he calmly knocked down all three free throws.

ESPN NO. 1 PROSPECT DARRYN PETERSON GAVE TCU 32 PTS 🤯

And hit the game-tying free throws in Kansas' thrilling OT win 🔥 pic.twitter.com/95GcMEJPNa
— ESPN (@espn) January 7, 2026

He would finish the contest with a season-high 32 points on 8-for-18 shooting and 13-for-15 free throw shooting. Even though he was unavailable down the stretch, he still entered for the final possession and did enough to send the game to overtime.

2. Poster Dunk in First Half vs BYU

Entering the highly anticipated showdown between Peterson and AJ Dybantsa, there were still questions regarding who would go No. 1 in the upcoming NBA Draft. The 6-foot-5 phenom quickly silenced them when the two stars met on the hardwood.

In this game, Peterson would go on to play just one minute in the second half, but his contributions in the first 20 minutes were enough to power the Jayhawks to one of their best wins of the year. He finished with 18 points and three steals on an incredibly efficient 6-for-8 shooting.

The best moment of the game came with a little under three minutes to go in the half. Peterson came off a screen and drove to the rim to throw down an incredible poster dunk on two BYU defenders to rile the Allen Fieldhouse crowd up.

OMG DARRYN PETERSON😱

“I’m no doctor Jay, but I think he’s feeling pretty good right now.” 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/EPoFnjfKRe
— ESPN (@espn) January 31, 2026

The Jayhawks would go on to win 90-82 to defeat the No. 13-ranked Cougars.

1. Back-To-Back Threes to Beat Texas Tech

In KU's most recent game at the United Supermarkets Arena, Peterson had his most cold-blooded moment yet as a Jayhawk.

Texas Tech fans were vocalizing a vulgar chant directed his way in the first half, one that likely stemmed from his late-game absences and injury history. He silenced them very quickly in the closing stretch of the road tilt.

Down 61-58, Peterson would connect on consecutive 3-pointers in back-to-back possessions within a matter of 36 seconds to send the Red Raider faithful home in shock. His second shot was the ultimate dagger that extended the Jayhawks' winning streak to seven games.

DARRYN PETERSON CLUTCH 🔥 pic.twitter.com/P9vjYijwNi
— ESPN (@espn) February 3, 2026