“I Thought I Was Going to Die”: NBA Prospect Darryn Peterson Reveals Medical Scare During Kansas Season
Darryn Peterson opens up about a terrifying hospital trip during his freshman season at Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball after severe full-body cramping left him unable to move.
- Darryn Peterson revealed severe cramping during his Kansas season was likely caused by unsafe creatine levels.
- The NBA draft prospect admitted he “thought I was going to die” during a frightening full-body cramping episode that led to a hospital trip.
- Peterson says the issue has stopped since doctors identified the likely cause ahead of the NBA Draft Comb
The build-up to the NBA Draft Combine is usually focused on measurements, workouts and rising draft stock. For Darryn Peterson, the conversation has shifted toward a frightening medical issue that nearly derailed his freshman season at Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball. As NBA teams prepare for one of the biggest scouting events of the year in Chicago, Peterson has now opened up about the severe cramping episodes that followed him throughout the season and the terrifying moment that left him fearing for his life during preseason training. The projected top NBA draft prospect explained that doctors later connected the issue to unsafe creatine levels discovered through bloodwork and additional testing after the college basketball season ended.
Darryn Peterson says creatine triggered serious Kansas health issue
Peterson admitted he had never previously used creatine before arriving at Kansas, where the supplement became part of his routine during training and conditioning work. After the season ended, fresh medical testing finally gave him answers. “But after the season I took two weeks off and they did tests which showed my baseline level was already high,” Peterson explained. “So, they said when I dosed, it must've made the levels unsafe.”
The physical impact became severe during one preseason boot camp session run by Kansas coach Bill Self. Peterson revealed the cramping became so intense that he had to be transported to hospital in an ambulance after his entire body locked up. The memory still clearly affects him emotionally. “I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911,” he told ESPN. “They were trying to get a vein to get me the IV, get me back hydrated. But I was cramping so hard they couldn't get a vein. I thought I was going to die on the training table that day.”
NBA Draft prospect Darryn Peterson now focused on healthy future
Even after returning to the court, Peterson admitted the fear never fully disappeared during games or practices throughout the season. Any early sign of discomfort immediately triggered concern that another major episode could happen publicly. “Whenever I felt anything like that come on, my initial thought was that it might get to that again,” Peterson added. “And I can't let that happen and be embarrassed and have that on TV and all that.”
Despite the health concerns, Peterson still produced an impressive freshman season, averaging 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds across 24 games.