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Ochai Agbaji has had a solid rookie year with the Utah Jazz this season. The former Kansas prospect has played 47 games and started 10 times. Agbaji has averaged 6.1 points per game on a 45/37/73 clip for the Jazz, playing only 18.0 minutes per game.
Agbaji has thrived since the start of March after seeing his playing time increase to 30 minutes per contest. He has averaged 11.7 points per game. The No. 14 pick from the 2023 draft has recorded 10+ points in his last five games.
On Monday, he bagged a career-high 27 points, five rebounds and three assists in Utah's 128-120 win over the third-placed Sacramento Kings. Agbaji shot 57.1%, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range. It was the 13th time this season that he has scored over 10 points.
Ochai Agbaji is a 6'5" guard who was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. That's where he went to college too. Agbaji had an unusual start to his college career. He started his freshman season as a redshirt. Kansas lifted his redshirt after they were out of depth following injuries to Agabji's Utah Jazz teammate Udoka Azubuike.
Agbaji spent four years in college, playing 122 games and starting 116 times (a starter in his last three seasons). He averaged 12.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, shooting 44.3%.
Agbaji had a stellar senior year as he tallied 18.8 points and 5.1 rebounds on a 48/41/74 split. He won the Big 12 Player of the Year, the 2022 NCAA championship and the 2022 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Agbaji was also a Consensus First Team All-American. He earned a spot in the 2022 All-Big 12's First Team.
22-year-old Ochai Agbaji is single and unmarried, as per multiple reports.
Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy praises Ochai Agbaji following career night against Kings
Ochai Agbaji took time to find his feet in the NBA. The Utah Jazz started the year with Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson as their starting guards and Malik Beasley as a backup, leaving Agbaji out of the rotation on most nights. However, since moving veterans Conley and Beasley at the deadline, the Jazz have relied on Agabji a lot more.
Agabji has delivered consistently. His efficiency has been a concern, but Jazz head coach Will Hardy likes what he is seeing from his rookie guard. Here's what Hardy said following Agbaji's career night in the win over the Kings (via NBA on Twitter):
"We're continuing to see his [Agbaji's] game starting to expand a little bit. The shots that he is looking for, the shots that he is taking. Obviously, it feels better when they go in but... I will continue to feel the same about Ochai, if he had missed a lot of those shots."
Agbaji shot 39.2% in March, but his efficiency has increased over the last three games, where he has made over 50% of his field goals. During this stretch, he has created better opportunities and shown more decisiveness in his game.
