Kansas tournament hero wants to be drafted by 1 prominent NBA team

Feb 2, 2021; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) warms up before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Ochai Agbaji is hoping that he can bring his heroics from Kansas to a slightly bigger market.

The former Jayhawks star told reporters this week that he is hoping to be selected by the New York Knicks in the draft later this month.

“That would be amazing [to be drafted by the Knicks],” said Agbaji, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “Being in the city, being in Madison Square, playing under Coach [Tom] Thibodeau, it would be a dream come true.”

Agbaji, who dined with Knicks front office members Wednesday and worked out for the team on Thursday, really bolstered his draft stock in this year’s NCAA Tournament. He helped lead Kansas to the national title with a stout 17.8 points per game in six total tournament contests, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. Agbaji was also a consensus first-team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year thanks to his stellar regular season.

It is actually a pretty realistic scenario for Agbaji to end up with the Knicks. He is projected to be drafted in the 10-to-15 range, and the Knicks hold the No. 11 pick. At 6-foot-6 with great all-around scoring ability, Agbaji profiles as a strong potential fit for the Knicks on the wing. But the team might be trying to trade up for a higher-upside prospect instead.