The uncertainty surrounding Kansas men’s basketball star Darryn Peterson’s lack of availability has caused a noticeable drop in his odds to be the first pick in the next NBA draft.
According to Kalshi, the probability of Peterson having his name called first during the summer draft dropped nearly 9% over the last week-and-a-half.
Key Takeaways
- Peterson subbed himself out of another game Wednesday.
- The young guard missed 11 of 26 games and was limited in seven of the 15 he played.
- Kalshi still has Peterson first in odds but down close to 6% over the last 12 hours.
Kalshi’s odds show Peterson had a 68.6% chance to go first overall just 10 days ago.
Peterson’s odds dwindled to 65.7% throughout most of Wednesday. However, they dropped to their current line of 60% within 12 hours of him inexplicably subbing himself out of an 81-69 win against Oklahoma State after scoring 23 points and making six threes in only 18 minutes.
“We've had this happen more than a couple of times,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said postgame. “I thought he was good to go. We only got 18 minutes out of him. That's disappointing because he could've had a really big night.”
Peterson has only played in 15 of Kansas’ 26 games this season. He also saw fewer than 25 minutes in seven contests he did feature in.
His limited availability has been attributed to a variety of issues, including a hamstring strain, a sprained ankle, a quad problem, cramping, and flu-like symptoms.
The star point guard is still widely expected to be the first player off the board in one of the most exciting drafts in recent history. However, his lack of availablity has led to a surge in skepticism, including from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
“There is no team in hell that should grab Darryn Peterson No. 1,” Smith said, adding, “What the hell is going on? You are a college player. ... You pull yourself out? ... And it ain't the first time he's done it. ... I can’t believe what I’m seeing from this guy ... You cannot be trusted.”
"There is no team in hell that should grab Darryn Peterson No. 1. You cannot do it. The first ability is availability…And these games that he’s missing, cramps? Flu…I can’t trust him. You cannot be trusted." – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/a9GUKGHYtL
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 19, 2026
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Who else could go No. 1?
Despite Peterson’s lingering issues, Kansas is tied for ninth in odds to win March Madness at +2,200 (4.4% implied chance). Self said his team has gotten used to playing without its best player.
“One thing about it is (cramping) has happened enough that our guys have learned to play without him, even though that's not the way we want to play,” Self said after the Oklahoma State game. “But that's certainly something we're not unaccustomed to right now.”
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has been there to benefit from Peterson scaring off many fans and pundits. The 6-foot-9 forward, who leads the nation in scoring at 24.8 points per game, went from a 28.1% chance Wednesday to a 34% chance at the time of writing to be the first pick in the NBA draft.
Duke’s Cameron Boozer remains in third with a 9% chance. No other players are receiving odds greater than 1%.
Nevertheless, the draft isn’t until later this summer. Kansas and Peterson will have concluded the regular season, Big 12 Tournament, and March Madness by then, giving teams more to judge the 19-year-old on.
