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Bill Self speculates Darryn Peterson could be his best freshman ever at Kansas

On3 imageby: Sam Gillenwater07/31/25samdg_33
Kansas G Darryn Peterson
(@KUHoops)

Darryn Peterson is being hyped unlike any freshman has in recent years at Kansas. Bill Self only added to that in thinking he’s never had one like him in Lawrence.

In an interview with CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein on ‘Inside College Basketball Now,’ Self was asked to give a comparison for Peterson. He gave it a second of thought, but considering what the Jayhawks are going to ask him to do this season, Peterson may end up as the top freshman he’s ever had at KU.

“I would think, as a freshman coming in, with the ability to put a team on his back? I’ll be honest. I don’t know what I’ve had one (like him),” Self stated. “We didn’t ask (Andrew Wiggins) to do that as a freshman. (Joel) Embiid didn’t do that as a freshman. Josh (Jackson) had Frank Mason and Devonte Graham, didn’t ask him to do it as a freshman.”

Peterson arrives as a Five-Star+ prospect and as the No. 2 overall recruit, behind only BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, in the 2025 recruiting class. That’s according to the Rivals’ Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. That makes him the Jayhawks’ highest-rated freshman since Jackson in 2016 and one of the biggest signings in school history, with Self calling it “one of the best recruiting moments that Kansas basketball has had in decades” upon his addition.

With that, Peterson is expected to possibly be the freshman with the most immediate impact in college basketball because of the focus on him by Kansas. He’ll need to be that, if not more, for them to succeed unless other parts of Rock Chalk’s roster can meet him at that level.

“With this particular roster? You know, let’s just call it like it is. Darryn needs to be the guy,” Self said. “If he’s that guy, then he’ll put up numbers that are as good as anybody we’ve had here.

“The bottom line is those other guys around him need to develop so he can not have to be the guy all the time. You know, if Flory (Bidunga) keeps developing, Bryson Tiller, you know, Melvin Council, Kohl Rosario, Jayden Dawson, Tre White? If those guys keep developing, then he won’t have so much pressure on him to perform.”

This is high praise for a player who hasn’t stepped on a college floor before, especially at a blue blood like Kansas. Still, from day one, Self is expecting everyone to see what he’s talking about when it comes to Peterson.

“I haven’t been around anybody that’s more prepared to be a college freshman that can carry the load more so than what Darryn can,” Self said.