Kansas’ Darryn Peterson OUT vs. Princeton Due to Hamstring Injury

UPDATE: Kansas’ star recruit, Darryn Peterson, will miss Saturday’s game against Princeton due to a lingering hamstring injury, as confirmed by head coach Bill Self on Friday. This marks another setback for the No. 25 Jayhawks as they prepare for a crucial stretch of games.

Peterson, who is projected to be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA draft, previously missed a game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi earlier this week after sustaining the injury during a shootaround. Self reassured fans that the injury is not expected to be long-term, stating, “we don’t think it’s a long-term deal at all.” However, the coach noted, “For whatever reason it’s still sore… there’s no reason to put him out there yet.”

The urgency surrounding Peterson’s injury grows as the Jayhawks are set to face No. 4 Duke in the highly anticipated Champions Classic this coming Tuesday. Following that, Kansas heads to Las Vegas for the Players Era festival, where they are set to compete against Notre Dame and Syracuse. Additionally, they will host third-ranked UConn at Allen Fieldhouse on December 2, making Peterson’s potential return even more critical.

In his brief college career, Peterson has already made a significant impact, scoring 21 points in just 22 minutes during his debut against Green Bay and following that with 22 points against North Carolina. Despite this, he has struggled with cramping issues earlier this season, limiting his participation in both exhibitions and adding to concerns about his fitness going forward.

“Right now, a couple of days, I’m not [concerned],” Self said, addressing worries about Peterson’s absence. “He practiced the day of our game on Tuesday, but he said it just feels tight, and it still felt tight yesterday.”

As the Jayhawks gear up for a challenging schedule, the spotlight will remain on Peterson’s recovery. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see if he can return in time for these pivotal matchups, which could significantly influence both his draft stock and the team’s success as they head deeper into the season.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as we monitor Peterson’s condition and the implications for Kansas basketball.