Decision to return wasn't easy for Ochai Agbaji

When the time came for Ochai Agbaji, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound guard from Kansas City, Mo., to make one of the biggest decisions of his early life, he ultimately decided to return to the place where it all started.

In doing so, Agbaji put his dream of playing in the NBA on hold and, in doing so, removed his name from the NBA draft to return to Kansas for another season.

“Jayhawk Nation, I’m coming back to KU this season,” Agbaji said. “Going through the process at the NBA Combine and team workouts has been a really good experience. I cannot thank my family enough, the NBA teams, my KU coaches and teammates, as well as everyone who supported me in this process.

“I am so looking forward to next season, playing in front of the best fans in basketball and contending for a national championship,” he added.

After coming oh so close to playing on the biggest stage college basketball has to offer during his sophomore year, last season simply didn’t play out as Agbaji and his teammates had expected.

Clearly, Kansas had its ups and downs a season ago, but an eye-opening loss to USC in the NCAA Tournament left a sour taste in the mouth of Agbaji and his teammates. So, after testing the NBA waters, Agbaji, on July 6, announced that he’d be returning to Kansas for his senior year.

Last week, Agbaji talked about his decision to return for another run at a National Championship.

“It's been really good to be back,” said Agbaji. “I started practice yesterday, kind of got going yesterday, so it does feel good to be back. Meeting all the new guys, seeing a lot of new faces. It is weird to just come back to that. They've already had a month together and all that, but it's big time.”

In 2020-21, Agbaji led the Big 12 in three-point field goals made (2.6), was fourth in three-point field goal percentage (37.7) and 12th in scoring (14.1). He averaged 3.7 rebounds and made three or more three-point field goals in 15 games. He had a career-high 26 points vs. Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship.

Agbaji has 77 consecutive career starts in 83 games played at Kansas. The Kansas City, Missouri, native is a two-time All-Big 12 honorable mention honoree and two-time academic all-conference selection. Agbaji, who pulled his redshirt 14 games into the 2018-19 season, enters his senior year with 920 career points and ranks tied for 18th in KU career three-point field goals made (147) and is 16th in career three-point field goals attempted (418).

Obviously, Kansas head coach Bill Self couldn’t have been any happier with the announcement Agbaji made on July 6.

“We are all very excited Ochai has made the decision to return for one more year,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “He did exactly what the process allows and encourages players to consider the Draft to do. He will be better for it and so will our basketball team.

“We believe Ochai is a first-round talent and I look forward to pushing him daily towards that,” he added. “I can’t wait to have Ochai and our full complement of players here very soon.”

Last season, Agbaji scored in double-figures 25 times for Kansas. Furthermore, he connected on two or more shots from behind the arc 24 times. Agbaji went 4-of-6 against Creighton, 4-of-6 against Omaha, 4-of-7 against Texas Tech, 4-of-9 against Oklahoma State, 4-of-7 against Baylor, 5-of-10 against Iowa State, 5-of-11 against Texas, and 4-of-8 against Oklahoma.

There’s no doubt that Agbaji can be a difference-maker from behind the arc for Kansas.

With the 2021-22 season slowly approaching, Agbaji, while talking to a small group of reporters on Tuesday afternoon, talked about his decision to return and when the decision was actually made.

“I was really on the fence and so about...a couple of days after the combine if I wanted to stay in and do more workouts or come back here and see my chances for next year and all that,” said Agbaji. “But I think that wasn't really a deciding factor I could do on my own...really just thinking about the ways... But I made the right decision.

“Really just, I mean, get the most out of this...get the most out of this year as in rings, championships, Big 12 championships, tournament championships, or national championships,” he added when asked if there was one thing that led him back to Kansas. “Just stuff like that. Stuff that I haven't really, I've gotten kind of gotten a taste of it my sophomore year, but I'm really wanting more, so I'm really hungry for that.”

Agbaji is most certainly returning to a completely different team from a year ago. Gone are Marcus Garrett, Tyon Grant-Foster, Latrell Jossell, Tristan Enarua, Bryce Thompson, and Gethro Muscadin.

Bobby Pettiford, Joseph Yesufu, Kyle Cuffe, Remy Martin, Charlie McCarthy, Dillon Wilhite, Zach Clemence, K.J. Adams, and Jalen Coleman-Lands are the newest additions to KU’s roster, so getting accustomed to playing with so many new faces will take some getting used to for Agbaji and his returning teammates.

However, before Agbaji gets comfortable playing with both new and old teammates, he intends to spend some quality time preparing himself for his senior year.

“Just keep my body in better shape, being able to last longer so I can play better,” said Agbaji. “I feel like late in the second half or sometimes late in the first half when I'm in there for a couple of minutes or a while, you kind of get tired and make those mental mistakes and all that. Don't get that shot, turn over here, stuff like that. But if I'm in a better shape then I can be more confident going into games, and I'm ready for that.”