Kansas Jayhawks’ Ochai Agbaji to redshirt freshman season, coach Bill Self confirms

Kansas freshman Ochai Agbaji, a 6-foot-5 guard from Oak Park High School, will redshirt this season, KU coach Bill Self said Monday.

Agbaji, who combined for 14 points and seven rebounds in KU’s exhibition wins over Washburn and Emporia State, will practice this season but not play in games. He will be a freshman eligibility-wise starting next year.

Agbaji averaged 27.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game during his senior season at Oak Park. He averaged 23.0 points and 6.0 rebounds his junior year at Oak Park.

Self said no other KU players would redshirt this season.

Agbaji was the winner of the DiRenna Award, the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association (GKCBCA) player of the year in 2017-18. He also was the Star’s All-Metro player of the year in 2017-18.

“I love his athletic ability, his smile, his intellect, his savvy. He has a lot of things to him that are really beyond his years, but he still needs a chance to play and play through some mistakes,” Self said recently in discussing the redshirt possibility for Agbaji. “I also think he is so much like Travis (Releford) was. Travis … the best thing for him ever was to sit out a year. He was able to start to and have an unbelievable two years for us. I think Ochai could even maybe experience more success than Travis even did, and I love Travis Releford. I think this youngster has a chance. He’s just young.”

Agbaji said after Thursday’s Washburn game: “Whichever is my path, I’m ready for it and I’m just positive about everything that’s going on.”

Gary Bedore

Gary Bedore covers University of Kansas athletics for The Star.

This story was originally published November 5, 2018 at 2:59 PM.