Despite injuries, freshman Darryn Peterson shines, earning All-Big 12 honors and leading Kansas in scoring.
Darryn Peterson most likely hasn't had the season he fully imagined when he committed to Kansas due to missing 11 games and having cramping issues, but the star freshman walked away with some awards. Peterson earned conference honors when the Big 12 released its 2025-26 awards, selected by Big 12 coaches, on Monday.
Peterson was selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team and the All-Freshman Team.
"I thought it was fair," Self said about Peterson's Big 12 awards. "When he’s right, there’s no doubt he should be first team, but he probably hadn’t played enough for people to see the consistency. I thought everything about it was fair."
"I was happy for Flory and Melvin. The only disappointing thing was Tre not getting recognition."
Although he has missed some time this season, Peterson may be catching stride just at the right time. He dropped 27 points, five rebounds and four assists on good efficiency. Both Peterson and Self said postgame that this was the best he has felt all season.
Peterson emerged as Kansas’ leading scorer in his freshman season. The Canton, Ohio, guard averages 19.9 points per game and has scored at least 20 points in nine contests. Peterson has also knocked down 53 three-pointers in 20 games.
Kansas (22-9, 12-6 Big 12) earned the No. 3 seed and a double bye in the Big 12 Tournament. The Jayhawks will begin postseason play in the quarterfinals Thursday at 8:30 p.m. CT at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Melvin Council Jr. Earns Big 12 Honors After Strong Senior Season
Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. earned Big 12 recognition following a strong senior season that helped stabilize the Jayhawks’ backcourt.
Council, a transfer from St. Bonaventure, was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and received All-Big 12 honorable mention honors while also earning a spot on the conference’s All-Newcomer Team.
The senior guard from Rochester, New York, averaged 13.4 points per game and led Kansas with 160 assists and 34 steals. He ranks sixth in the Big 12 in assists per game (5.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86), showcasing his efficiency running the offense.
Council’s steady play became especially important when freshman guard Darryn Peterson missed time during the season, providing the spark Kansas needed in the backcourt.
He capped the regular season with one of his best performances in Kansas’ Senior Day win over Kansas State, finishing with 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double.
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