It was billed as a dream pairing. Instead, the Darryn Peterson–Kansas story has hit turbulence almost immediately. Fitness issues have kept him on the sidelines, and now one analyst suggests Bill Self’s biggest worry with Peterson goes beyond just his health.

“I think now you’ve got to keep him away from his agent, you know, if you’re Bill Self, because I think at this point, if this had been five or ten years ago, there wouldn’t even be a question whether he would shut it down for the year,” Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68: After Dark podcast said.

He continued, “But I think now, you know, he’s got Darren Matsubara, ‘Mats,’ as his agent. Mats used to be an AAU coach. He coached the Lopez twins back years ago in AAU ball. He’s the one kind of directing traffic right now. And I think when you put an agent into the equation now, obviously you’re going to be a lot more skeptical about everything that’s going on right now. You’re going to protect your investment.”

For Darryn Peterson, it’s been one setback after another. A hamstring strain forced him out early in Kansas’ exhibition opener against Louisville, then kept him on the sidelines against Fort Hays State. He made it back for opening night versus Green Bay, but even then, he couldn’t finish at full strength, limited again after halftime.

Peterson finally got a full game under his belt against North Carolina on Nov. 7, but the relief didn’t last. Another hamstring issue popped up soon after, costing him seven straight games. He fought his way back against Missouri and NC State, only for quad cramps to knock him out again for two more games. A  frustrating period of time that’s tested the patience of Kansas fans.

He’s already missed nine games this season, and Bill Self has said it’s Peterson’s family who are being protective of him, for all the right reasons, and that they’ll have the final say on when he returns because they don’t want their son getting hurt again.

That lines up closely with what Jeff Goodman suggested as well, and it raises the possibility that Peterson’s camp, including his agent, could be prioritising his long-term interests over the program that’s reportedly paying him more than a million dollars in NIL money.

No matter what the next move is, one thing is clear. Everyone involved wants Darryn Peterson back on the floor. But as Lawrence waits for him to reach full fitness, Bill Self and his team keep finding ways to win, even without their star guard.

Kansas continues its winning ways without Darryn Peterson

Even with Darryn Peterson sidelined, it was smooth sailing for Bill Self and company against Davidson. The Jayhawks set the tone from the opening tip, took control early, and never looked back in a dominant 90–61 win.

Tre White and Flory Bidunga set the pace with 18 points and eight rebounds apiece, as six Jayhawks hit double figures, including all five starters. Kansas was on fire, shooting 58 percent from the field, winning the rebounding battle 42–31, and turning 16 Davidson turnovers into 27 easy points.

One of the biggest bright spots for Kansas in the absence of Darryn Peterson has been senior guard Melvin Council Jr. His 36-point explosion in the 77–76 overtime win over NC State remains the defining moment of his season so far, and he backed it up with another solid outing against Davidson, knocking down 10 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting night.

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The Jayhawks now sit at 10–3 and head into a well-earned holiday break before returning on January 3 to open Big 12 play against UCF. It’s a matchup they should feel confident about, even if Peterson remains sidelined, and ESPN agrees, giving Kansas a 67.2 percent chance to win.

So far, the Jayhawks have just one win against a ranked opponent. But if Peterson can return fully healthy, he could be the boost they need to take down the nation’s best and make a deep March Madness run.

But do you see Peterson playing a major role by the time March rolls around? Let us know in the comments below!