Darryn Peterson injury update: Bill Self reveals Kansas star's status for Notre Dame, Syracuse games

Although it was expected, Kansas superstar freshman guard Darryn Peterson will officially not compete in Las Vegas’ Player’s Era Festival this week. The Jayhawks are slated to face Notre Dame, Syracuse, and a team to be determined in the event.

Peterson is a massive absence for KU. The Five-Star+ freshman averaged 21.5 points (60% FG, 50% 3PT), 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks in his two lone appearances this season (Green Bay and No. 18 North Carolina).

Self said Peterson will not play in Vegas. He's not done enough to play multiple games in a short span. Self hopes he can run, cut in drills in Vegas.

— Gary Bedore (@GaryBedore) November 21, 2025

Kansas head coach Bill Self revealed on Saturday that Peterson would be out for ‘the immediate future.’ The star freshman has now missed three games, in which the Jayhawks have gone 2-1 with wins over Texas A&M-CC and Princeton and a loss to No. 5 Duke in the Champions Classic.

Following Kansas’ 78-66 loss to the Blue Devils Tuesday night, Self clarified the severity of Peterson’s hamstring issue. He revealed that his injury is caused by a slight hamstring strain, but that they don’t think ‘it will be long’ before he makes his return.

“Jeff Goodman reported that it was a hamstring strain, so we’ll go with whatever he said,” Self said with a chuckle. “We just go with whatever Goodman reported. He’s had hamstring tightness, which is caused by a slight hamstring strain.

“So until that subsides, he’s gonna not be confident to play on it. Push off and those sorts of things, which has been going on a fairly significant amount of time. So, we actually feel good about what we’re doing. They feel good about what we’re doing and we don’t think it will be long.”

Kansas’ schedule gets harder as Peterson’s absence looms

With games against Notre Dame, Syracuse, No. 3 UConn, Missouri, and No. 25 NC State coming up soon, Kansas is in dire need of a Peterson return. The Jayhawks also could use stronger guard play from Tre White, Melvin Council Jr., and Kohl Rosario.

“He’s getting the best treatment, I mean, all that stuff,” Self said last Sunday. “But he’s got tightness in his right hamstring. And, you know, he wants to be out there so bad. But, you know, I’m not going to put him out there until he feels well. And, you know, you can say or think, well, we’re trying to win the battle. Well, yeah, we are, but the battle’s not nearly as important as the long-term, you know, so to speak. 

“And we’ve got to get him where he’s not hesitant to play. We have seen him play, and he’s pretty good. And we still haven’t seen him whole yet. Think about that. You know, we need to get him where he can explode without the thought in his mind that something negative could happen. And it probably won’t. But, you know, I don’t want to put him in a situation where he’s got to think about that.”

Kansas heads into its fourth game without Peterson on Monday afternoon against Notre Dame in the First Round of the Player’s Era Festival. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on TNT.