Peterson Named to Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson has been named to the 50-member 2026 Naismith Trophy Division I Player of the Year Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club launched in the present day.
 
Peterson is seeking to develop into the third Jayhawk to win the Naismith Division I Player of the Year becoming a member of Danny Manning (1988) and Frank Mason III (2017).
 
In his unofficial faculty debut, Peterson scored 26 factors, together with six three-point area targets, with 4 rebounds and 5 steals in No. 19 Kansas’ 90-82 win at No. 11 Louisville in an exhibition sport on Oct. 24.

Named the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and a unanimous Preseason All-Big 12 choice by the league coaches, Peterson is certainly one of Kansas’ highest-ever recruited gamers after incomes Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American honors following the 2024-25 season. Last season, the 6-foo6-6 Canton, Ohio, native averaged 30.4 factors, 7.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and a couple of.2 steals per sport. He ended 2024-25 ranked No. 1 by 247Sports.com and On3.com. Peterson is the third No. 1 nationwide recruit to play for Hall of Fame coach Bill Self at Kansas, becoming a member of Andrew Wiggins and Josh Jackson.

 

No. 19 Kansas opens the 2025-26 common season when it performs host to Green Bay on Monday, Nov. 3. The contest from historic Allen Fieldhouse begins at 7 p.m. (CT) and can be televised on ESPN+.

 

Darryn Peterson 2025-26 Honors

Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List (1 of fifty)

NABC Preseason Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 20)

The Field of 68 Preseason All-America First Team

CBS Sports Top 100 (#2)

The Athletic Preseason All-America First Team

Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20

CBS Sports Preseason Freshman of the Year

CBS Sports Preseason All-America

Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year

Preseason All-Big 12 (unanimous choice)