🏀 Ochai Agbaji Declares for the NBA Draft
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior guard Ochai Agbaji has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft. He announced his intent via social media.
“How did it feel?” I’ve probably been asked that question a thousand times since we won the national championship. And while I’m not sure I’ve found the right words to accurately describe the elation and surreal nature of that moment, I do know this much: I’ll never get tired of talking about it.
From start to finish, this entire season felt like it had been scripted. A season I’ll remember forever. One I’ll never take for granted.
But before I put my collegiate career in the rearview mirror and look to the future, I want to thank some of the people who helped put me on the road to success. My family. My teammates. My coaches. And of course – Jayhawk Nation.
No matter where basketball takes me – I’ll always be a Jayhawk.
With that said, I would like to declare for the 2022 NBA Draft.
Rock Chalk Forever.”
– Ochai Agbaji
The Final Four and Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Agbaji was a 2022 Consensus All-America First Team honoree collecting All-America first-team nods from the NABC, Associated Press, The Sporting News and USBWA. Agbaji is Kansas’ 31st all-time Consensus All-America First Team selection, which is more than any other school. He is the first Jayhawk to earn the first-team honor since Devonte’ Graham in 2018.
“We believe Ochai has a chance to be a lottery pick,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “The process that he went through last year, in returning, helped him tremendously. It’s obviously time for Ochai to move on and what a great way to go out – being a Big 12 champion, a Big 12 Tournament champion, a first-team All-American, the MOP of the Final Four and a national champion. I don’t believe anyone could have scripted a better ending to Ochai’s career at Kansas.”
A finalist for most all 2022 national player of the year awards, Agbaji was named the unanimous 2022 Big 12 Player of the Year after leading the conference in scoring with an average of 18.8 points per game. The Kansas City, Missouri, guard finished second in the league in three-point field goal percentage (40.9%, 23rd nationally) and second in three-point field goals made per game (2.6).
A four-year starter for KU, Agbaji etched his name into the Kansas records book. He set the record for consecutive games of three-point field goals made at 53. Agbaji concludes his KU career ranked 15th on the KU career scoring list with 1,652 points, fourth on the three-point field goals made (250), fourth on three-point field goals attempted (670) and ninth in minutes played (3,978).
