Honestly, following Kansas basketball lately feels a bit like watching a high-stakes medical drama where the lead actors keep disappearing behind a curtain. If you've been checking the Kansas basketball injury report every morning like it’s the weather, you’re definitely not alone. It’s been a weird year in Lawrence. We’re deep into the 2025-26 Big 12 gauntlet, and Bill Self is basically playing a giant game of "Who’s Available?" every single night.
The biggest story, and the one that has every fan holding their breath, is Darryn Peterson. This kid is arguably the most prestigious recruit to land in Lawrence since Andrew Wiggins, but his freshman season has been a total start-and-stop nightmare. After missing a huge chunk of the early schedule with a nagging hamstring strain, he finally made it back for the Big 12 opener against UCF on January 3rd.
Then, disaster.
Peterson went off for 23 points in the first half alone—looking like the absolute superstar everyone expected—before his legs essentially gave out in the second half. He had to exit with about 11 minutes left, and Kansas watched a lead evaporate without him. Self admitted afterward that he tried to put Peterson on a 24-minute restriction, but the game was so tight he couldn't pull him. The result? Another setback.
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The Peterson Problem and the Big 12 Grind
So, where do things stand now? As of mid-January, the team is being incredibly cautious. We've seen Peterson sit out or play limited minutes since that UCF scare. The medical staff is terrified of a long-term tear, so they’re treating every "cramp" or "tightness" like a five-alarm fire. It’s frustrating for fans who want to see the No. 1 recruit dominate, but with the NBA Draft looming, nobody wants to gamble with the kid’s future.
But it's not just the superstar freshman. The Kansas basketball injury report has been a revolving door for the "glue guys" too.
- Will Thengvall: The walk-on guard has been listed as "Out" consistently. While he isn't a starter, his absence hurts the practice squad's ability to give the starters a look during mid-week prep.
- Elmarko Jackson: Remember, Elmarko is coming off a massive injury that cost him the entire previous season. While he’s playing, he hasn't looked like the 100% explosive version of himself yet. He’s healthy on paper, but in reality, he’s still shaking off some major rust.
- The Big Men: Flory Bidunga has been banged up here and there. Nothing serious enough to keep him out of the starting lineup for long, but enough to make you notice he’s lacking that extra "pop" on his second jump lately.
Life After the Legends
It’s worth noting why these injuries feel so much heavier this year. For the first time in what feels like a decade, Hunter Dickinson, Dajuan Harris Jr., and KJ Adams Jr. aren't there to steady the ship. They’ve finally exhausted their eligibility. Those guys were iron men. Dajuan Harris played through more "tweaked" ankles than most people have in a lifetime.
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Now, the roster is younger. Younger players often don't have that "college senior strength" yet, which makes the physical style of the Big 12 a lot tougher on their bodies. When Darryn Peterson goes down, there isn’t a veteran like Harris to just take over the ball-handling duties and settle everyone down.
Bill Self's Own Health Update
We can't talk about the team's health without mentioning the boss. Bill Self had a bit of a scare this past offseason, needing a couple of stents put in. Thankfully, he’s been very vocal about feeling great. He’s actually joked about how he's finally eating better—no fried food, no red meat, no yellow cheese. He says he has more energy now at 63 than he did three years ago. If the coach is healthy, the team usually finds a way to figure it out, even if the roster looks like a MAS*H unit.
What to Watch Moving Forward
The Jayhawks have a massive showdown with Baylor tonight (January 16th). The official availability report usually drops a few hours before tip-off, but expect the "Peterson Watch" to be at an all-time high.
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If Kansas wants to make a real run in March, they need to stop the "bleeding" in January. This means getting Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White to take more of the physical load so the younger guys don't have to play 38 minutes a night.
Actionable Steps for Jayhawk Fans
- Check the 2-Hour Window: Under new Big 12 rules, schools have to release a formal availability report roughly two hours before tip-off. Follow beat writers like Henry Greenstein or Michael Swain on X (formerly Twitter) for the fastest updates.
- Monitor the "Explosiveness": Don't just look at the box score. Watch how Peterson or Jackson move in the first four minutes. If they aren't attacking the rim, the injury is likely still bothering them mentally or physically.
- Watch the Bench Rotation: If you see more of Jamari McDowell or the freshmen early in the first half, it’s a sign that Self is trying to preserve his starters' legs for the final four minutes of the game.
The road to the Final Four is always paved with ice packs and ibuprofen. For Kansas, the talent is clearly there. The only question is if they can stay on the court long enough to prove it.
For the most accurate pre-game updates, keep an eye on the official Kansas Athletics site and the Big 12's mandatory availability reports that are published before every conference game.