The fate of the 2025-26 Kansas basketball team may ultimately be decided on the play of Darryn Peterson.
The incoming freshman from Prolific Prep arrives in Lawrence as the nation’s top-rated recruit with lofty expectations. Many already see him as a preseason All-American candidate, a potential Big 12 Player of the Year selection, and eventually the No. 1 or 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
In a recent ESPN article, longtime analyst Dick Vitale unveiled his preseason “All-Rolls Royce” teams and “Diaper Dandies.” To no one’s surprise, Peterson was recognized on the latter of the lists.
These are the freshmen phenoms, the future lottery picks, the “wow” factor kids who are ready to dazzle from day one.
Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
AJ Dybantsa (BYU
Cameron Boozer (Duke)
Nate Ament (Tennessee)
Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville)
Darius Acuff (Arkansas)
Apr 1, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; McDonald’s All American West guard Darryn Peterson (22) and McDonald’s All American East forward Cameron Boozer (12) pose for photos after the game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images / Pamela Smith-Imagn Images
Peterson was the first freshman mentioned, which signifies that Vitale believes he could be the best newcomer in the country.
The 6-foot-5 combo guard finished ahead of other elite prospects such as BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Tennessee’s Nate Ament, Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., and Arkansas’ Darius Acuff.
“Naismith HS POY, can score, rebound, pass, defend,” Vitale wrote about Peterson. “Bill Self’s got himself a big-time winner in Peterson, who is a future top-3 draft pick.”
Head coach Bill Self knows he has a special player on his hands, and one that KU fans should be thrilled about.
Peterson is widely considered one of the most complete guard prospects in recent history, with his ability to score at all three levels and draw fouls with ease.
Self has even suggested that Peterson could be the best freshman to suit up for the Jayhawks since he took over the program more than two decades ago.
“As a freshman coming in with the ability to put a team on his back, I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’ve had [someone like Peterson],” Self said last month. “We didn’t ask Wiggins to do that as a freshman, Embiid didn’t do that as a freshman, Josh had Frank Mason and Devonte’ Graham as a freshman.”
But no matter how talented Peterson is once he makes the transition to the college level, he will still need his teammates to rise to the occasion.
The Jayhawks’ 2025-26 squad features plenty of new faces after losing a handful of seniors, though they should be a much faster and more athletic group compared to the past two seasons when the Jayhawks bowed out during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Returning sophomore center Flory Bidunga, along with transfer guards Jayden Dawson, Tre White, and Melvin Council Jr., offer complementary skill sets to Peterson with their strong defense and athleticism.
Regardless, we now know that Peterson has Vitale’s stamp of approval.