Darryn Peterson injury update: Bill Self reveals next steps for Kansas guard ahead of UConn game

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson will be re-evaluated Friday, Jayhawks coach Bill Self told CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander. He did not play during the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas due to a lingering hamstring injury.

Peterson’s status remains a key storyline for Kansas as the Jayhawks get ready for a huge non-conference matchup on Tuesday. UConn will make the trip to Allen Fieldhouse, and Self told CBS Sports the star freshman is doing all he can to return to the court quickly.

Peterson has not played since a victory over North Carolina and missed the Players Era as he recovered. After Monday’s win over Notre Dame, Self said he was staying hopeful the former top recruit could get back on the court as soon as possible.

“I’m hopeful [he’ll return] soon,” Self said. “He’s doing more every day. He’s working out here. He’s running, he’s cutting, he’s doing some things. He’s just got to test out of some things, which we’ll test him again when we get back. So week to week, maybe too long. It’s more of every three or four days, we’ll re-evaluate and see where he’s at.”

Darryn Peterson got off to a strong start to his college career, scoring more than 20 pointes in his first two games for KU. He then missed Kansas’ games against Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Princeton due to the injury, as well as the matchup against Duke at Madison Square Garden before the Players Era in Las Vegas.

However, KU rose to the occasion in his absence. The Jayhawks went 3-0 in the event, securing $300,000 in NIL dollars for their collective in the process. Speaking with The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman after Wednesday’s come-from-behind victory over Tennessee, Self said he wouldn’t have necessarily thought Kansas could go unbeaten in the tournament without Peterson. But he wouldn’t have ruled it out.

“Not impossible, but we’re in Vegas, I don’t think it would’ve been the percentage play from an odds standpoint,” Self said. “But we did. We didn’t play great the first game. We played better against Syracuse. And then, I thought we were great today. Even when we were behind, we were playing the right way. We played downhill, shared the ball, guarded, rebounded. They had some guys not have big nights, but I think in large part, we took away some good looks.”