Kansas’ Darryn Peterson reveals ‘traumatic experience’ that set stage for bizarre season

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Kansas’ Darryn Peterson reveals ‘traumatic experience’ that set stage for bizarre season

Jaren Kawada, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Wed, Mar 18, 2026 ·

2 min read

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Kansas' Darryn Peterson reveals 'traumatic experience' that set stage for bizarre season appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

Throughout his dynamic freshman season, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson has been slowed by one issue : cramps. Fans have come up with wild conspiracy theories behind the 19-year-old's availability issues, but Peterson finally shed light on what actually caused the whole situation.

While frustrated fans jumped to the conclusion that Peterson simply did not want to play basketball for Kansas, the freshman traced his entire nightmare season back to one early-season practice in Lawrence. Peterson recalled suffering a 45-minute full-body cramping episode after practice that left him hospitalized with IV bags pumping through his veins.

"It was a traumatic experience," Peterson said, via 'The Athletic.' "As much as I tried to fight it and tell myself I was good, I kind of couldn't. The mind is the joystick, my dad tells me. You can't beat your mind."

Peterson claims he did not know what caused the severe cramping, even if dehydration appeared to be the culprit. Perhaps he needs to take a page out of Paolo Banchero's book and guzzle down BOA Oxygenated Fluid to prevent symptoms during games, but the issue continues to loom over his head.

From that moment on, cramping became his biggest fear. Flashbacks from the traumatic hospitalization led Peterson to sit out of practices and games whenever he felt it potentially coming on, and it is what caused him to ask Bill Self to sub him out against TCU, leading to a viral clip that fans used as supposed evidence of his disinterest.

Peterson's cramping woes led to 11 missed games in the regular season, not including those he left early. Fans berated him for constantly jumping in and out of Kansas' lineup, preventing the Jayhawks from establishing any consistency entering the NCAA Tournament.

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