Agbaji Selected By Cavs In NBA Draft
The Cleveland Cavaliers used the 14th pick in 2022 NBA Draft to select Kansas forward Ochai Abaji.
The 6’6, 215 pound senior averaged 18.8ppg and shot 41 percent from the 3-point line in leading the Jayhawks to the National Championship and winning the Most Outstanding Player award at the Final Four this past season. Agbaji also was named the Bg 12’s Player of the Year.
(official Cavs release)
CAVALIERS SELECT OCHAI AGBAJI WITH 14TH OVERALL PICK IN 2022 NBA DRAFT
CLEVELAND ALSO SELECTS KHALIFA DIOP (39TH), ISAIAH MOBLEY (49TH) AND LUKE TRAVERS (56TH)
CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Cavaliers selected guard Ochai Agbaji (OH-chie uh-BAH-jee) from the University of Kansas with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Cleveland also selected center Khalifa Diop (hah-LEE-fuh JYOP) with the 39th pick out of Senegal, forward Isaiah Mobley with the 49th pick out of USC and forward Luke Travers with the 56th pick out of Australia.
Agbaji (6-5, 215) started in all 39 games this past season as a senior at Kansas, averaging a Big-12 leading 18.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in a team-high 35.0 minutes. Agbaji finished second in the Big-12 in three-point percentage (.409) and three-point field goals made per game (2.64). He helped lead Kansas to its fourth national championship in program history under head coach Bill Self and was named the 2022 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Agbaji also finished as a 2021-22 consensus All-American First Team selection as well as the 2021-22 Big 12 Player of the Year.
The four-year guard played in 122 games (116 starts) in his career at Kansas, averaging 13.6 points (.374 3FG%), 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 32.6 minutes and finished fourth in Kansas history in three-pointers made (250 3FGM). During his tenure, Agbaji also set a program record by making a three-pointer in 53 consecutive games. He also ended his Kansas career ranked 15th in points (1,652), seventh in consecutive starts (98) and ninth in minutes played (3,978) and he is also a three-time All-Big 12 as well as an Academic All-Big 12 selection.
Diop (7-1, 240) appeared in 49 games for Gran Canaria in Spain, averaging 6.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.7 minutes. Diop was the winner of the 2021-22 EuroCup Rising Star Trophy, which honors the best under-22 player in the EuroCup. The Senegalese center also represented Senegal at the 2021 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup while averaging 14.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.
Mobley (6-10, 240) appeared in 32 games (all starts) as a sophomore for USC this past season, averaging team-highs in points (14.2) and rebounds (8.3) in 34.0 minutes. Mobley started in all 64 of his career games for the Trojans and held career averages of 12.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists. His brother Evan Mobley was an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection for the Cavaliers this past season and was selected with the 3rd pick by the Cavaliers in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Travers (6-7, 208) played in 27 games (six starts) for the Perth Wildcats in the Australian NBL, averaging 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 22.0 minutes. Travers appeared in 71 NBL games for Perth over three seasons with the club.