Darryn Peterson may have just solved the mystery behind the cramping issues that derailed his freshman season at Kansas—and that could be huge news for his NBA Draft stock.

The 19-year-old guard showed flashes of brilliance during his first year in Lawrence, but injuries and persistent cramping limited him to just 24 games and often kept him on the bench for extended stretches. Despite those setbacks, Peterson declared for the 2026 NBA Draft after one season and is still projected as a top pick. However, a healthy campaign might have made him the consensus No. 1 overall selection.

With the draft fast approaching, Peterson says he's finally figured out what was causing those debilitating cramps. Speaking to ESPN, he revealed the culprit was high doses of creatine—a popular supplement used to boost muscle strength and recovery.

"I'd never taken it before [college]," Peterson explained. "But after the season I took two weeks off and they did tests which showed my baseline level was already high. So, they said when I dosed, it must've made the levels unsafe."

The cramping issues plagued him throughout the season, often forcing him to play fewer than 30 minutes per game. But the scariest moment came before the season even started, during Kansas's annual boot camp last September. Peterson suffered a full-body cramp so severe that he was rushed to the hospital.

He recalled the traumatic experience vividly, telling ESPN he thought he "was going to die on the training table that day."

"I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911," Peterson said. "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."

Now that the root cause has been identified, Peterson can focus on what he does best: dominating on the court. For a player with his talent, solving this health puzzle could be the key to unlocking his full potential at the next level.