‘He’s a pro’: Ochai Agbaji scores career-high 29 as KU Jayhawks beat Michigan State
Kansas Jayhawks freshman Bobby Pettiford enthusiastically approached Ochai Agbaji after one of the senior’s nine baskets on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.
“I told him he was the best player in the country. I truly believe that,” said Pettiford, a reserve point guard and one of nine KU players to score during the No. 3 Jayhawks’ 87-74 victory over unranked Michigan State in the Champions Classic. “I told him on the court because I wanted to close this game out. He’s the best player, so let’s get this win.”
Agbaji, a 6-foot-5 guard from Kansas City who seriously considered bypassing his senior season for the 2021 NBA Draft, scored a career-high 29 points on 9-of-17 shooting in the home of the New York Knicks.
He hit three threes in six attempts and was 8-of-8 from the line while playing 36 minutes.
His previous scoring high was 26 against Oklahoma a year ago.
“He’s known to be a freak athlete. He can shoot the ball really well from anywhere and he’s starting to prove that. He can jump with anybody. He’ll dunk on you. He’ll come off a screen and pull up. He can do everything,” Pettiford said after scoring five points with two rebounds and two assists in 11 minutes.
“He’s a pro,” Pettiford added simply.
Agbaji, who was one of three Jayhawks to score in double figures — Remy Martin had 15 points, all in the second half and David McCormack 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting — certainly impressed KU coach Bill Self.
“He was terrific tonight. He’s had some big games in the past, but I don’t know if he’s had a bigger game on a bigger stage and the bright lights, and he had a lot of individuals labor from a starting standpoint offensively and he just basically carried us,” Self said, adding, “so I was really happy for him and he was really good.”
Agbaji, a former standout at Oak Park High School, described KU’s season-opening win as “a lot of fun, a great way to start off the season, but I can only just thank my teammates. They found me around the court, found me for lobs and stuff, found me out in transition, so I can only thank them.”
He conceded that the win felt a bit different from a lot of games in the past.
It’s because he’s a team leader now.
“Just leading my team, willing my team. They all trusted me. They kept talking to me, keeping me confident throughout the game so it was just great knowing that they had my back out there,” Agbaji said.
He had 12 points the first half (freshman Zach Clemence had seven) as KU led 39-32 at halftime. KU led by as many as 16 points the final half.
“Coming into this year, I didn’t try to put too much pressure on myself. Like I said, like I’m always going to keep saying, ‘I just relied on my teammates,’” Agbaji said. “They know my abilities. They have seen me in practice. They know how hard I work and the positive attitude I come in with every single day to practice, just willing to get better. So I’m always going to give it to them.”
Agbaji would hope to have several stellar performances in him this season. He says his confidence has grown after testing the NBA waters and working out before many NBA officials.
“I would say just getting more confidence in my game and everything, with my game, my shot, my handle, different stuff, play-making decisions. But I would say, yeah, it’s a result of that,” Agbaji said.
He reflected that in the past he produced for KU’s team, “in spurts. I feel like I would have for like a two-minute spurt where I would get going and get aggressive, but now it’s just like picking my spots on the court throughout the game, finding my spots around the court. Things have changed and evolved over time.”
Agbaji said a game like Tuesday is ultimately why he returned to KU.
“To be on this stage, be in this moment, leading my team, willing my team to a win, know that my team has the utmost confidence in me. I think that’s why I chose to come back and actually do something with this season,” he said.
How close was he to leaving?
“Really close. But I mean I made the right decision. I know I did,” he said after game one of his senior campaign.
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 8:21 PM.
