NBA Draft prospect says he thought he was going to die from cramping caused by creatine

Kansas' Peterson feared death from creatine-induced cramps

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, a projected top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, suffered body-wide cramps so severe in September that he thought he would die.

Peterson reached the training room during a preseason practice and begged trainers to call 911. "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," he told ESPN. "I thought I was going to die on the training table that day."

Testing later revealed Peterson's baseline creatine levels were already high; college offseason dosing pushed them to unsafe levels. He had never used the supplement before arriving at Kansas. Peterson stopped taking creatine and reported no further issues.

The cramps sidelined him for 11 games and shortened his minutes in others during the 2025-26 season. Coach Bill Self adjusted his role to off-ball play to reduce exertion risk. Kansas staff prescribed daily rehab, massages, carb loading, electrolytes and diet changes including meal prep.

Peterson averaged 20.2 points per game. He logged at least 30 minutes in eight of Kansas's final nine games.