Darryn Peterson Blames Season-Long Cramping on Excess Creatine Intake
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Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson said his recurring muscle cramps during the 2025-26 season were triggered by unusually high creatine levels, an issue doctors discovered through post-season bloodwork, he told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Peterson, hospitalized in September after a full-body cramp, said he had never used creatine before arriving on campus. According to the 19-year-old, team trainers directed him to “dose” the supplement—gradually increasing amounts—to accelerate results. Two weeks after the season, tests revealed his baseline creatine was already elevated, and additional doses pushed it into an unsafe range.
“Whenever I felt anything like that come on, my initial thought was that it might get to that again,” Peterson said, recalling anxiety that followed him throughout the year. He added that the cramps subsided once he stopped taking the supplement.
The health concern contributed to Peterson sliding behind BYU swingman AJ Dybantsa on most mock drafts. With the cause now identified, clubs holding top-three picks in next month’s NBA Draft are expected to reassess the 6’5″ scorer’s stock.
Additional Draft Notes
Cameron Boozer tops Hollinger board: The Athletic’s John Hollinger placed Duke forward Cameron Boozer at No. 1 on his latest top-15 list, projecting a “Kevin Love-type” median outcome and citing Boozer’s offensive ceiling as greater than his defensive limitations.
G League Combine rosters finalized: The NBA released four 11-man squads for this weekend’s G League Draft Combine. Vanderbilt guard Duke Miles and California wing Chris Bell replaced Arkansas forward Malique Ewin and NC State wing Darrion Williams, the league confirmed after two earlier substitutions. Williams tested positive for COVID-19, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. Isiah Harwell and Paulius Murauskas, who previously withdrew from the combine, have also pulled out of the draft.
Lottery carries major implications: ESPN’s Brian Windhorst highlighted the stakes of Sunday’s draft lottery, noting that the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Clippers could see their near-term plans altered by what amounts to a coin flip.
Source: Hoops Rumors
