Ochai Agbaji

Ochai Young Agbaji (born April 20, 2000)[2] is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a senior at the University of Kansas, Agbaji was named a consensus first-team All-American and voted the Big 12 Player of the Year in 2022. He led the Jayhawks to a national championship and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player (MOP).

Ochai Agbaji
Agbaji in 2022
No. 30 – Utah Jazz
PositionShooting guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2000-04-20) April 20, 2000
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5[1] in (1.96 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolOak Park
(Kansas City, Missouri)
CollegeKansas (2018–2022)
NBA draft2022: 1st round, 14th overall pick
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Playing career2022–present
Career history
2022–presentUtah Jazz
2022→Salt Lake City Stars
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

Agbaji was drafted as the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he was traded to the Jazz in September before playing a regular-season game in Cleveland.

Early life

Agbaji was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but grew up in Kansas City, Missouri.[2] He grew up playing soccer, upon his father's encouragement, playing club soccer as well as Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball from a young age. Agbaji stopped playing soccer as a sophomore at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Missouri to focus on basketball. He grew nine inches between his freshman and junior years.[3] In his basketball career at Oak Park, Agbaji did not receive offers from any Power Five college programs until his senior season. As a senior, he averaged 27.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game for Oak Park and was named Kansas City Star All-Metro player of the year.[4] Agbaji was considered a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals.[5] On February 8, 2018, he committed to play college basketball for Kansas over offers from Texas A&M and Wisconsin.[6]

College career

Agbaji started his freshman season at the University of Kansas as a redshirt and was a member of the scout team.[7] In early January 2019, his redshirt was lifted because Kansas needed depth after Udoka Azubuike suffered a season-ending injury and Silvio De Sousa faced eligibility issues.[8] On January 29, Agbaji made his first career start, scoring 24 points, bringing in seven rebounds, and stealing the ball twice in a loss to Texas. In his next game, he recorded his first double-double in a win over Texas Tech. Agbaji was named Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week for the two performances.[9] Agbaji averaged 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 22 games, including 16 starts as a freshman.[10]

On November 5, 2019, Agbaji made his sophomore season debut, scoring 15 points in a loss to fourth-ranked Duke at the Champions Classic.[11] During the aforementioned sophomore season, Agbaji was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12.[12] As a sophomore, Agbaji averaged 10 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and finished second on the team with 46 three-pointers.[13] He averaged 14.1 points per game as a junior, shooting 42 percent from the field. On April 8, 2021, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.[14]

Agbaji made his senior season debut on November 9, 2021, recording 29 points in an 87–74 win against Michigan State at the Champions Classic.[15] On January 24, 2022, he scored a career-high 37 points in a 94–91 double overtime win over Texas Tech.[16] At the close of the season, Agbaji was voted the Big 12 Player of the Year and was named a consensus first-team All-American.[17][18] Kansas won the 2022 NCAA tournament, and he scored 12 points in the championship game and was named the tournament MOP.[17] On April 24, Agbaji declared for the 2022 NBA draft.[19]

Professional career

Utah Jazz (2022–present)

Agbaji was selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.[20][21] On July 2, 2022, Agbaji signed his rookie scale contract with the Cavaliers.[22]

On September 1, 2022, Agbaji was traded, alongside Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, three first round picks, and two pick swaps, to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Donovan Mitchell.[23] Agbaji had his NBA debut on October 19, playing one minute in a 123–102 win over the Denver Nuggets.[24] On April 8, 2023, Agbaji scored a career-high 28 points in a 118–114 win over the Nuggets.[25]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2022–23 Utah 592220.5.427.355.8122.11.1.3.37.9
Career 592220.5.427.355.8122.11.1.337.9

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19 Kansas 221625.9.449.307.6944.6.9.5.58.5
2019–20 Kansas 313133.3.428.338.6734.22.01.2.310.0
2020–21 Kansas 303033.7.420.377.6893.71.91.1.514.1
2021–22 Kansas 393935.1.475.409.7435.11.6.9.618.8
Career 12211631.9.443.357.6994.41.6.9.412.8

Personal life

Agbaji's father, Olofu, moved from Nigeria to the U.S. when he was 17.[26] Agbaji's mother, Erica, and his father both played basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. His older sister, Orie, played volleyball for Texas.[27]

References
  1. Givony, Jonathan (June 24, 2022). "Ochai Agbaji Stats, News, Bio". ESPN. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  2. Tait, Matt (December 11, 2019). "Ochai Agbaji's father, Olofu, explains his son's 'special purpose' after 95–68 Kansas win vs. Milwaukee". KUSports.com. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  3. Mellinger, Sam (February 21, 2019). "How and why Kansas freshman Ochai Agbaji went from overlooked recruit to NBA prospect". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  4. Bedore, Gary; McDowell, Sam (April 11, 2018). "It's official: Oak Park senior Ochai Agbaji signs with Kansas basketball". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  5. Skretta, Dave (February 25, 2019). "Jayhawks' Agbaji is proof that big-time talent still sneaks under recruiting radar". Fox Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  6. Daniels, Evan (February 8, 2018). "Ochai Agbaji commits to Kansas". 247Sports.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  7. Moore, CJ (January 10, 2019). "Redshirt burned, Ochai Agbaji comes up big for Kansas". The Athletic. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  8. Chasen, Scott (January 8, 2019). "Ochai Agbaji to burn redshirt, play Bill Self announces". 247Sports.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  9. "Agbaji named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week". Kansas Jayhawks. February 4, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  10. Bedore, Gary (November 1, 2019). "Agbaji's rapid rise gives KU scoring threat: 'He is poised to have a bust-out year'". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  11. "No. 3 Kansas upended by No. 4 Duke, 68–66". Kansas Jayhawks. November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  12. "Men's Basketball All-Big 12 Awards Announced" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. March 8, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  13. Braswell, Scott (March 8, 2020). "Azubuike named Big 12 Player of the Year". KTEN. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  14. Gates, Riley (April 8, 2021). "Ochai Agbaji declares for 2021 NBA Draft". 247Sports.com. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  15. Bedore, Gary (November 10, 2021). "'He's a pro': Ochai Agbaji scores career-high 29 as KU Jayhawks beat Michigan State". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  16. "Agbaji helps No. 5 Kansas beat Texas Tech 94–91 in 2OT". ESPN. Associated Press. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  17. Bedore, Gary (April 4, 2022). "Kansas Jayhawks' Ochai Agbaji adds NCAA Tournament MOP to All-America, Big 12 awards". The State. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  18. "Men's Basketball All-Big 12 Awards Announced" (Press release). Big 12 Conference. March 6, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  19. "Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji declares for 2022 NBA draft, says 'I'll always be a Jayhawk'". ESPN. April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  20. "Nigerians In NBA Draft: Agbaji Picked By Cavaliers, Williams Headed To Charlotte". Channels Television. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  21. Simmons, Jonathan (June 24, 2022). "What do you think of the Cavs taking Ochai Agbaji at No. 14?". cleveland. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  22. "Cavaliers Sign 2022 Draft Picks Ochai Agbaji and Isaiah Mobley". NBA. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  23. Cavaliers. "Cavs Acquire Three-Time All-Star Donovan Mitchell". Cavs.com. NBA/Turner. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  24. "NEW-LOOK JAZZ BEAT NUGGETS 123-102 IN SEASON OPENER". NBA.com. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  25. "Nuggets vs Jazz, April 8, 2023". Basketball-Reference.com.
  26. Keegan, Tom. Tom Keegan: Ochai Agbaji, KU’s stealth recruit, fits right in, Lawrence Journal-World, June 26, 2018.
  27. Bedore, Gary (June 26, 2018). "Thanks to new teammate, KU's Azubuike is getting home cooking: goat meat and fufu". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
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