Darryn Peterson Reveals 'Traumatic' Full-Body Cramps, Hospitalization During Freshman Year at Kansas

Darryn Peterson has dealt with cramps throughout the season, and the Kansas freshman recently revealed the extent of his ailment.

Peterson, who missed 11 games during the 2025-26 season, said things got so bad at one point that he had to go to the hospital.

"I had like a full-body (cramp), super serious," he said, per the Kansas City Star's Shreyas Laddha. "You could say it was traumatic. I would say it was a traumatic experience."

Peterson has been unquestionably one of the best players in college basketball this year, putting up 19.8 points per game, but his availability has led to criticism from fans and uneasiness from NBA draft scouts.

Even Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson appeared to make a comment directed at Peterson, calling Kansas "one of those teams where, you just... never know." Peterson was asked about the criticism in February, to which he answered, "I don't really pay attention to it anymore."

According to Laddha, many suspected Peterson's cramping issue began during an exhibition game against Louisville in October, but "multiple sources" said it began "well before that."

After a win over Oklahoma State in February, when Peterson removed himself from the game in the second half and didn't return, head coach Bill Self called Peterson's resurgent cramps "a concern."

"It's a concern," Self told reporters. "I thought we were past it, but obviously we're not. It's certainly a concern.

"You get into the NCAA tournament, you're playing a team just as good as you and you need to have all your best players available, so to speak. All it takes is for one day like that to derail not only a game, but a season. It's concerning, but I do think we're making progress with it."

While the missed time has led some to believe Peterson could fall in the draft, he's still widely projected to be a top pick. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman has Peterson going third to the Washington Wizards in his latest mock draft.

Peterson also told Laddha that "you could say" he's fully healthy for the first time this season.

That's good news for more than just Peterson's draft stock. The Jayhawks, who lost to Houston in Friday's Big 12 tournament semifinal, haven't made it past the first weekend of the tournament since their title run in 2022.

Kansas is hoping to make a deep run this year, and a healthy Peterson will be instrumental in the coming weeks.