Darryn Peterson red flags, explained: How missed time, character issues at Kansas may impact NBA stock

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is viewed as a top prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft, but teams are weighing whether perceived “red flags” justify selecting him first overall. After an up-and-down season with the Jayhawks, Peterson missed games regularly—11 in total—while also showing flashes of high-level talent. The main concern entering the draft is health: he sometimes sat out or subbed out due to cramping, which he later linked to using creatine for the first time during the prior season. Peterson said tests after the season indicated his baseline was already high, making dosing potentially unsafe. Scouts cited concerns about mindset and willingness to push through issues, while Peterson has denied competitiveness is a problem. His pre-draft interview choices were also discussed, excluding teams other than the Washington Wizards.