🏀 Honors Keep Rolling in for Ochai Agbaji
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior Ochai Agbaji was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Player of the Year Award, it was announced Friday. Agbaji is vying to become the third Jayhawk to win Naismith Player of the Year honors joining Danny Manning in 1988 and Frank Mason III in 2017.
Agbaji is the lone senior among the 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Player of the Year Award. Other semifinalists include Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga), E.J. Liddell (Ohio State), Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona), Keegan Murray (Iowa), Jabari Smith (Auburn), Drew Timme (Gonzaga) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky).
Agbaji’s 2022 postseason accolades continue to roll in for the Kansas City native. On March 7, Agbaji received two All-America First Team honors as selected by The Sporting News and Bleacher Report (BR). Joining Agbaji on the 2021-22 The Sporting News All-American First Team were Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky), Keegan Murray (Iowa) and Kofi Cockburn (Illinois). He was joined on the BR first team by Davis, Tshiebwe, Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga) and Walker Kessler (Auburn).
A national player of the year candidate, Agbaji leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.7 points per game, which is 24th nationally. He is second in the league in three-point field goal percentage (40.5%) and in three-point field goals made per game (2.9). Agbaji leads the Big 12 with 17 20-point games this season and was a four-time Big 12 Player of the Week.
A four-year starter for KU, Agbaji has etched his name into the Kansas records book. He holds the record for consecutive games of three-point field goals made at 53. He also ranks 21st on the KU career scoring list with 1,532 points, sixth on the three-point field goals made (234) and fourth on three-point field goals attempted (633).
Ochai Agbaji 2021-22 Honors
Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist (1 of 10)
Bleacher Report All-America First Team
The Sporting News All-America First Team
Big 12 Player of the Year (Big 12 and AP)
All-Big 12 First Team (Big 12 and AP)
Wooden Award Final Ballot (1 of 15)
Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Finalist (1 of 5)
Academic All-Big 12 Second Team
co-Big 12 Player of the Week (2.21.22)
Naismith Player of the Year Midseason Team (1 of 30)
Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List (top 10)
Big 12 Player of the Week (1.24.22)
The Sporting News Midseason All-American Second Team
Big 12 Player of the Week (1.17.22)
Big 12 Player of the Week (11.15.21)
Big 12 Player of the Week (11.15.21)
Wooden Award Preseason Top 50
Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 50)
NABC Player of the Year Watch List (1 of 20)
Preseason All-Big 12
