Kansas Basketball Great Ochai Agbaji Reflects on Time at KU

When it comes to the most decorated and beloved Jayhawks in Kansas basketball history, not many top former guard Ochai Agbaji.

An underrated recruit coming out of high school who signed with KU in late spring 2018, Agbaji went on to have one of the best senior seasons in school history during the 2021-22 season.

That year, Agbaji was unanimously named a First Team All-Big 12 selection and Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Tournament MVP, a consensus Associated Press First Team All-American, and the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading the Jayhawks to the 2022 national championship.

Agbaji recently joined 96.5 The Fan in Kansas City to discuss the youth camp he was hosting for children in the area to help give back to the community. As part of that conversation, Agbaji was asked about the moment he received the offer from head coach Bill Self to come play at Kansas.

After attending a game at Allen Fieldhouse, Self offered him a scholarship – and it didn’t take long for Agbaji to decide whether or not to accept.

“Literally on the drive home I already knew that I wanted to go there,” Agbaji said. “It wasn’t anything that was a second thought once I got that official offer.”

Agbaji was then asked about the leap he took from junior to senior year and what he did that offseason to cement him as one of the best players in the country.  

“I think it was really just a change of mentality,” Agbaji said. “After my junior year I went through the NBA process and got some feedback and came back with just a different mindset and a different attitude as far as wanting to be a leader and really wanted to take a step forward my senior year.”

Despite the work ethic and dedication, Agbaji admitted he never envisioned himself having the kind of collegiate career he ended up having, but his time as a Jayhawk and one day getting his jersey raised in Allen Fieldhouse alongside the all-time KU greats, is something he’ll always be proud of.

“It was obviously a dream…,” said Agbaji. “But at the end of the day I wanted to be that player, I wanted to be that star player. My opportunity didn’t come until four years later and I just waited my turn until then and worked hard and that’s kind of what I’ve always done – waited for my opportunity and worked hard… It’s so surreal even to sit here and talk about it that I’m going to be up in the rafters.”

Agbaji said the long-standing tradition of KU is what makes it so special to be a part of.

“Having those expectations and those pressures being at the school, practicing there, going through everything that all the players in the past have gone through, seeing all the history that has been put into place and everyone that has come before you – that’s what makes Kansas special.”