Ochai Agbaji facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ochai Agbaji

Agbaji in 2024
No. 30 – Toronto Raptors
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(2000-04-20) April 20, 2000 (age 25) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
High school	Oak Park (Kansas City, Missouri)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
College	Kansas (2018–2022)
NBA Draft	2022 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Pro career	2022–present
League	NBA
Career history
2022–2024	Utah Jazz
2022	→Salt Lake City Stars
2024–present	Toronto Raptors
Career highlights and awards
NCAA champion (2022) NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (2022) Consensus first-team All-American (2022) Big 12 Player of the Year (2022) First-team All-Big 12 (2022)

Ochai Young Agbaji (born April 20, 2000) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

While playing for the University of Kansas, Ochai became a top college player. In 2022, he was named a first-team All-American. He also won the Big 12 Player of the Year award. Ochai led his team, the Kansas Jayhawks, to win a national championship. He was even named the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the Final Four tournament.

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked Ochai as the 14th player in the 2022 NBA Draft. However, he was traded to the Utah Jazz before playing for Cleveland. Later, in 2024, he joined the Toronto Raptors.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Ochai Agbaji was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He mostly grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. When he was younger, he played soccer because his dad encouraged him. He also played basketball for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

In high school, Ochai went to Oak Park High School. He stopped playing soccer in his second year to focus on basketball. He grew a lot during high school, about 9 inches (23 cm) between his first and third years.

Even though he was good, big college basketball programs didn't offer him a spot until his senior year. In his final year, he scored 27.6 points and grabbed 8.6 rebounds per game. He was named the Kansas City Star All-Metro player of the year. Ochai was seen as a three-star recruit by experts. On February 8, 2018, he decided to play college basketball for Kansas. He chose Kansas over offers from other schools like Texas A&M and Wisconsin.

College Career Highlights

Ochai started his first year at the University of Kansas as a "redshirt" player. This meant he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. He was part of the scout team, helping his teammates prepare.

In January 2019, he started playing because the team needed more players. On January 29, Ochai played his first game as a starter. He scored 24 points and got 7 rebounds. In his next game, he achieved his first "double-double." This means he had double-digit numbers in two stats, like points and rebounds. For these great games, he was named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week. As a freshman, he averaged 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

In his second year, Ochai scored 15 points in a game against Duke. He was named Honorable Mention All-Big 12. He averaged 10 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He also made 46 three-pointers, which was the second-highest on his team. As a junior, he averaged 14.1 points per game. On April 8, 2021, he said he would enter the 2021 NBA draft but could still return to college.

Ochai's senior year started strong on November 9, 2021. He scored 29 points in a win against Michigan State. On January 24, 2022, he scored a career-high 37 points in a thrilling double-overtime win against Texas Tech.

At the end of his senior season, Ochai was voted the Big 12 Player of the Year. He was also named a consensus first-team All-American. Kansas went on to win the 2022 NCAA tournament. Ochai scored 12 points in the championship game. He was named the tournament MOP (Most Outstanding Player). On April 24, he officially declared for the 2022 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Utah Jazz (2022–2024)

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked Ochai Agbaji as the 14th overall player in the 2022 NBA draft. On July 2, 2022, he signed his first contract with the Cavaliers.

However, on September 1, 2022, Ochai was traded to the Utah Jazz. This trade also included other players and draft picks. He made his NBA debut on October 19, playing one minute in a win against the Denver Nuggets. On April 8, 2023, Ochai scored a career-high 28 points in a win over the Nuggets.

Toronto Raptors (2024–present)

On February 8, 2024, Ochai Agbaji was traded again. He moved to the Toronto Raptors along with another player, Kelly Olynyk. In return, the Jazz received two players and a draft pick. On November 27, 2024, Ochai scored 24 points in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans. He shot very well, making 9 out of 10 shots and 6 out of 7 three-pointers.

Career Statistics

NBA

College

Family Life

Ochai's father, Olofu, moved to the U.S. from Nigeria when he was 17. Both of Ochai's parents, Olofu and Erica, played basketball. They both played at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Ochai also has an older sister named Orie. She played volleyball for Texas.

See also

In Spanish: Ochai Agbaji para niños