Kansas Upsets Arizona Amid Darrin Peterson’s Absence

During a recent game, Kansas called a foul after reviewing the tape. Oddly enough, star freshman Darrin Peterson didn’t play. This was significant because Peterson’s absence drew a lot of attention—especially after the previously undefeated Arizona team played on Monday while he was sidelined due to flu-like symptoms.

According to someone in the know, Peterson didn’t inform anyone about feeling unwell during practice. Kansas coach Bill Self stated that Peterson had to either commit fully or not play at all. The person texted, “DP said, forget it, I’m out.”

A representative from Kansas informed the media before the game, noting that despite warming up with the team, Peterson wouldn’t be participating.

Interestingly, a video of the original text conversation gained quite a bit of traction, amassing about 3.5 million views by Tuesday morning.

This flurry of information reached Kansas State quickly, prompting Daniel Burke, the school’s senior associate athletic director, to clarify that the person in the video was an external contractor who handles official game statistics for ESPN and has no ties to the university or athletics department. Burke emphasized that they were speculating, not sharing insider knowledge.

Self mentioned that Peterson wasn’t on the pregame availability report but thought he would be a strong addition to the team for their crucial Big 12 matchup.

“Adrenaline was high, and we all assumed he would be ready,” Self noted regarding Peterson’s condition during shootaround.

Peterson’s situation adds to what has been a tumultuous season for him. He’s a projected top pick for the 2026 NBA Draft, yet he has faced several challenges regarding his availability.

In recent mock drafts, Peterson has been selected first overall by the Kings. He has managed to appear in 13 of the Jayhawks’ 24 games, putting up an average of 20.5 points and 4.2 rebounds, while shooting nearly 49% from the field.

Before this, he had missed seven games due to a hamstring injury following his appearance in the first two games of the season. This was particularly unfortunate as it meant he missed high-profile matches against Duke and UW.

Adding to the drama, there had been a controversy around his minutes when he played only 20 minutes in a game notable for its high-profile audience during a 90-82 victory over BYU.

In summary, Kansas’ upset victory over Arizona (19-5, 9-2 Big 12) stands out as one of the most impressive wins this season, continuing to bolster their position for the conference title.