2022 NBA Draft odds: Ochai Agbaji, former Kansas star and Final Four MVP, with over-under selection spot at end of lottery, Cavaliers in play
Where will former Kansas star Ochai Agbaji be selected in the 2022 NBA Draft?
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It's quite common for guys who were superstars even at the highest level of college basketball to not be very good NBA players for whatever reason. Adam Morrison anyone? Tyler Hansbrough? Ochai Agbaji was one of the most decorated players in the history of Kansas basketball and there is no more blueblood program than that. However, Agbaji is given "only" an over/under position of 13.5 for Thursday night's NBA Draft with the Over a -160 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook.
The last we saw Agbaji, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior guard was leading the Jayhawks to their first national title since 2008 and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. In the 81-65 rout of Villanova in the national semifinals, Agbaji finished with 21 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including 6-for-7 from deep. In the big comeback win over North Carolina in the title game, he was held to 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting but had a big three-point play to tie the game at 50. It was the first time KU drew even since the Tar Heels led by as many as 16.
Agbaji, not a hugely touted prospect out of high school, was a consensus first-team All-American in his final season. He was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and a finalist for both the Wooden Award and Naismith Award. Agbaji ended his Kansas career ranked 15th all-time in points (1,652), fourth in 3-pointers made (250), fourth in 3-pointers attempted (670), seventh in consecutive starts (98) and ninth in minutes played (3,978).
He actually declared for the 2021 NBA Draft, attended the combine, received feedback about his draft positioning, didn't like it (a projected second round) and decided to go back to KU. That decision has earned him millions of dollars.
These days, NBA scouts tend to penalize prospects the longer they stay in school and the older they are: Agbaji is already 22. He is one of 20 prospects invited to sit in the Green Room of Barclays Center in Brooklyn for Thursday's draft. Agbaji is +250 to go in the top 10. The CBS Sports Big Board ranks him as the No. 10 overall prospect.
He is considered one of the best shooters in the draft, has a 6-foot-10 wingspan and should be able to contribute as a rookie as plug-and-play, 3-and-D prospect. Why an over/under spot of 13.5? He has been linked to Charlotte at No. 13 and Cleveland at No. 14.
In fact, DraftKings lists Agbaji as the +250 favorite to be the Cavs' first pick of the draft. The Knicks at No. 11 have been a fairly popular destination, and Agbaji is +1200 to be their pick. About the earliest I've seen him mocked is No. 9 to New Orleans.
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