What Is Darryn Peterson's Timeline for Return? Kansas HC Bill Self Updates on Injury
Kansas will have to wait at least another week to see star freshman guard Darryn Peterson back on the court.
Jayhawks head coach Bill Self told reporters Friday that Peterson would remained sidelined with a hamstring injury during next weeks' Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, per On3's Sam Lance.
"We're not going to have Darryn in Vegas," Self told reporters. "Although, we have reevaluated and he's right there close. But he hasn't quite done enough to put him in position to go out and play multiple games in a short span like that.
"So we're hopeful he's running and cutting and doing all those things while we're in Vegas, but not to the point where he's probably ready to play."
Peterson, who has already missed three straight games, hasn't played since Nov. 7.
Kansas is set to tip off the Vegas tournament by playing Notre Dame on Monday and Syracuse on Tuesday.
Kansas will also face a third opponent that has yet to be determined, extending Peterson's injury absence to at least six games.
The Jayhawks don't return to action until their next home game on Tuesday, Dec. 2 against No. 3 UConn.
Self has previously explained Peterson is dealing with tightness resulting from a right hamstring strain.
He told reporters last weekend the goal is to get Peterson to the point "where he's not hesitant to play."
"We need to get him where he can explode, without the thought in his mind that something negative could happen," Self said last Saturday.
Peterson missed time during the preseason with the hamstring injury, although he was in the lineup for Kansas' season-opening win over Green Bay.
He averaged 21.5 points, while sinking half of the six three-pointers he was attempting per game, through the Jayhawks' first two contests before he was sidelined by his injury.
Kansas hasn't been able to replicate his three-point shooting since then. After sinking a total of 22 shots from deep through their those two games, the Jayhawks have only made 17 total three-pointers in three games since.
Peterson is projected as the top pick of the 2026 NBA draft in the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.
His return will be key Kansas' ability to bounce back from a 3-2 season start and take advantage of what could be a single college season from one of the top prospects in college basketball.
