The Kansas Jayhawks’ Darryn Peterson is widely seen as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft despite it being considered one of the deepest in the history of the league. And well, he showed another glimpse of exactly what he brings to the table in the Jayhawks’ 104-85 win over Kansas State.
And this time, Peterson did not even need to start, coming off the bench to deliver 27 points, five rebounds and four assists, per a post on X by B/R Hoops. The freshman guard shot an efficient 10-of-15 in 27 minutes and looked close to his best defensively in what proved to be a blowout.
“I'm feeling good. Perfect timing as we go into the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA. I'm feeling the best I've felt,” Peterson said post-game.
Peterson has had consistent absences this season, but once again proved why scouts rate him so highly. While he had multiple alley-oops and was efficient offensively, also converting all but one of his seven free-throw attempts and one of his two three-pointers, he also had two steals and just one turnover in what was an elite two-way performance. The performance means that he is now averaging 19.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range.
The Jayhawks had lost four of their previous six games but clicked on the offense in this one, shooting at 59% from the field while outrebounding Kansas State 45-28, and Peterson was not the only young star on show. Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. also gave evidence of their potential. White returned with a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds in his final game at Allen Fieldhouse, while Council Jr. had 17 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.
The win brought the Jayhawks’ home winning streak over Kansas State to 20 consecutive games and secured a double-bye in the Big 12 Tournament.
