Ochai Agbaji announces decision to return to KU for junior season
Kansas sophomore guard Ochai Agbaji will return for his junior year and not go through the pre-NBA Draft process, he announced Tuesday on Twitter.
“We’ve got some unfinished business Jayhawk Nation! Time to get back to work!” Agbaji wrote on Twitter.
He averaged 10.0 points a game a year ago for the 28-3 Jayhawks.
“I looked into the NBA and was given some great feedback on ways I can be a better basketball player,” Agbaji said Tuesday. ”I know there are a lot of areas of my game I can improve and look forward to working with our coaches to reach that next level. We have some unfinished business to take care of and I’m looking forward to returning to KU for my junior season.”
Agbaji averaged 33.3 minutes per game, which ranked sixth in the Big 12 and second on KU’s team. He had 30-plus minutes in 24 games, was second on the team with 44 three-point field goals made and third with 38 steals.
“I believe Ochai could have been drafted but there are some things he knows he still needs to improve on,” KU coach Bill Self said. “He has taken a very mature approach to this. I believe Ochai is an NBA player and with a great year next season, hopefully he’ll put himself in a position to do that.”
Self told The Star on Tuesday: “I think it was a decision he and his mom and dad sat down not about his decision, ‘Do I go to the NBA?’ The decision was, ‘Do I test?’ He felt he had enough feedback regardless of if he tested or not. The feedback he got … the things he needed to do and improve on, he’s well aware of that. He made an informed, mature decision. He waited and got information. We’ve done the same with other players.”
Sophomore point guard Devon Dotson on Monday announced his decision to enter his name in the NBA Draft. Other players with pro aspirations, including Marcus Garrett, David McCormack and Silvio De Sousa, are all expected to return.
“I anticipate everybody being back,” Self said of the 13 remaining players on the roster.
Of Agbaji’s role his junior year, Self said: “Ochai Agbaji will be a huge part of anything we try to do next year. His role will be increasing without Udoka (Azubuike) and Devon.”
