Kansas Jayhawks Dominate Louisville Exhibition Behind Freshman Darryn Peterson

Kansas opened its exhibition slate with a 90-82 win at Louisville, led by freshman Darryn Peterson’s 26 points (24 before halftime) as the Jayhawks led 46-30 at the break and held Louisville to 31% shooting, with Flory Bidunga adding 14 points and six rebounds. Peterson’s debut — 9-for-15 shooting with an electric first half — prompted Kevin Durant comparisons and widespread social-media and analyst hype likening him to a national player-of-the-year candidate. Media and scouts now list Peterson among three early favorites for the 2026 No. 1 NBA Draft pick alongside Cam Boozer and A.J. Dybantsa, both of whom posted dominant exhibition performances of their own. Coach Bill Self praised Peterson’s maturity, calling him an “18-year-old that plays like a 25-year-old,” and the performance eased early-season concerns about where Kansas’ shooting would come from. With many new faces in the rotation, KU plays one more exhibition (Fort Hays State) before the regular season, but Friday’s showing suggested the 2025-26 Jayhawks should be an entertaining team despite remaining questions about their ultimate ceiling.