On Thursday, former Kansas standout Ochai Agbaji was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Toronto Raptors. Kansas head coach Bill Self commented on Agbaji’s move.
“Ochai wasn’t playing a ton with Utah, so hopefully it’ll open up some opportunities for him,” Self said. “It’s a business these days. I think that sometimes we hope for things for our guys based on the appearance of a position and I think, in the big picture, we’re looking at what’s best for him to have a career.
“Hopefully, this is a good opportunity to get some minutes and play enough because he probably needs to be seen doing some things and playing well just because of his age and the number of years he’s been in the league and new contracts coming up and stuff like that. I think he’ll be alright. It will probably be a positive for him.”
Agbaji averaged 19.7 points per game with the Utah Jazz this season, down from his debut campaign in 2022-23. In his limited time on the court, Agbaji averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 33.1% from behind the arc.
Agbaji isn’t the only former Kansas Jayhawk on the Raptors. The franchise also drafted Kansas shooting guard Gradey Dick with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Self said he hopes Agbaji finds success with the Raptors, but “not at the expense of our other guy.”
Ochai Agbaji carries his Kansas ties
If Agbaji can mimic a fraction of success for the Raptors that he had at Kansas, Toronto will be in luck. Agbaji is one of the most decorated Kansas players in program history, earning the 2022 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award and Consensus All-America First Team honors.
In his senior season with the Jayhawks, Agbaji led the Big 12 in scoring at 18.8 points per game. He also added 5.1 rebounds a night while shooting 40.9% from downtown. For his efforts, Agbaji was named the 2022 Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year.
In an interview with CBS Sports, Agbaji revealed how he uses his time at Kansas on the professional level.
“It’s obviously a different game in college but playing under coach [Bill] Self, Hall of Fame basketball coach, there’s still stuff I take from him that I’m probably gonna have forever, just that pertains to the basketball mindset, approach, all that. So, that’s gonna stick with me for sure,” Agbaji said.
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