Ochai Agbaji

Ochai Young Agbaji (born April 20, 2000) is an American college basketball player for the Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12 Conference.

Ochai Agbaji
No. 30 – Kansas Jayhawks
PositionShooting guard
LeagueBig 12 Conference
Personal information
Born (2000-04-20) April 20, 2000
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolOak Park
(Kansas City, Missouri)
CollegeKansas (2018–present)

High school career

Agbaji was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He grew up playing soccer, upon his father's encouragement, and played club soccer and 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. He grew nine inches between his freshman and junior years.[1] 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.[2] Agbaji was considered a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals.[3] On February 8, 2018, he committed to play college basketball for Kansas over offers from Texas A&M and Wisconsin.[4]

College career

Agbaji started his freshman season with Kansas as a redshirt and was a member of the scout team.[5] 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.[6] On January 29, Agbaji made his first career start and scored 24 points, seven rebounds, and two steals 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.[7] Agbaji averaged 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 22 games including 16 starts as a freshman.[8]

On November 5, 2019, Agbaji made his sophomore season debut and scored 15 points in a loss to fourth-ranked Duke at the Champions Classic.[9] He was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12.[10] As a sophomore, Agbaji averaged 10 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and finished second on the team with 46 three-pointers.[11] 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.[12]

Agbaji made his senior season debut on November 9, 2021, recording a career-high 29 points in an 87–74 win against Michigan State at the Champions Classic.[13]

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

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
Career 837731.5.428.352.6864.11.71.0.411.1

Personal life

Agbaji's father, Olofu, moved from Nigeria to the U.S. when he was 17.[14] He is a city planner for the city of Kansas City, Missouri.[15][16] His mother, Erica, is from Wisconsin and is a kindergarten teacher in Kansas City.[17] Both of Agbaji's parents played basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. His older sister, Orie, plays volleyball for Texas.[16]

References
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Daniels, Evan (February 8, 2018). "Ochai Agbaji commits to Kansas". 247Sports.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  5. Moore, CJ (January 10, 2019). "Redshirt burned, Ochai Agbaji comes up big for Kansas". The Athletic. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  6. Chasen, Scott (January 8, 2019). "Ochai Agbaji to burn redshirt, play Bill Self announces". 247Sports.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  7. "Agbaji named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week". Kansas Jayhawks. February 4, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  8. 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.
  9. "No. 3 Kansas upended by No. 4 Duke, 68-66". Kansas Jayhawks. November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  10. "Men's Basketball All-Big 12 Awards Announced" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. March 8, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  11. Braswell, Scott (March 8, 2020). "Azubuike named Big 12 Player of the Year". KTEN. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  12. Gates, Riley (April 8, 2021). "Ochai Agbaji declares for 2021 NBA Draft". 247Sports.com. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  13. 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.
  14. Keegan, Tom. Tom Keegan: Ochai Agbaji, KU’s stealth recruit, fits right in, Lawrence Journal-World, June 26, 2018.
  15. Moore, CJ (June 17, 2019). "Ochai Agbaji's unlikely story starts a new chapter at Kansas, as a go-to player". The Athletic. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  16. 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.
  17. Swain, Michael (January 11, 2019). "Ochai Agbaji's family watched KU debut from up close and afar". 247Sports.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
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