Celebrity
Ochai Agbaji Net Worth
Ochai Agbaji is in his rookie season in the NBA.
Ochai Agbaji has quickly risen as one of the top young players in the NBA after a stellar college career at Kansas.
The 22-year-old was drafted 14th overall by the Utah Jazz in 2022 after leading the Jayhawks to a national championship and winning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors.
With a successful rookie season under his belt, Agbaji has increased his net worth through salary and endorsements.
This article will discuss Agbaji’s path from college standout to a valuable contributor on a rebuilding Jazz team, detailing his earnings and potential as his NBA career continues unfolding.
Ochai Agbaji’s net worth and salary
After a standout college career culminated in an NCAA championship and Final Four MOP honors in 2022, Agbaji has quickly made a name for himself in the NBA.
Drafted 14th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2022 NBA draft, he signed a rookie deal worth $28 million over four years. In his first season,
Agbaji proved his value, playing in over 70 games and even starting 24 times for the rebuilding Jazz squad. His strong rookie performance significantly raised his profile and earning potential early on.
For the 2022-2023 season, he earned a salary of $3.9 million. With performance incentives, he brought home over $4 million in his rookie campaign. As he enters his second NBA season in 2023-2024, his salary sees a bump to $4.1 million.
Ochai Agbaji plays for the Utah Jazz in the NBA (Source: SLC Dunk)
His salary is then projected to rise each subsequent year, jumping to $4.3 million in 2024-2025, $6.4 million in 2025-2026, and nearly $9 million in the final year of his current contract.
In total, with his 4-year rookie contract with the Jazz guaranteeing over 28 million dollars, Agbaji’s current net worth is estimated to be around $5 million.
However, at just 22 years old, his earning potential in the league remains high, especially if he continues his quick development into a dynamic wing scorer.
As he enters free agency in 2026, he could easily command a massive contract paying up to $20+ million per year.
Ochai Agbaji’s career in NBL from drafting to now
After winning an NCAA championship and Final Four MOP with Kansas in 2022, Agbaji saw his NBA draft stock skyrocket.
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Agbaji with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 draft, hoping the athletic wing could provide valuable scoring and defense.
However, Cleveland pivoted over the offseason, opting to rebuild around an All-Star backcourt of Darius Garland and newly acquired Donovan Mitchell.
So in September 2022, just months after drafting Agbaji, the Cavaliers included him in a blockbuster trade package to the Utah Jazz for Mitchell.
Suddenly, Agbaji was headed to a Jazz team also hitting the reset button, having traded away All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Mitchell in one offseason. This opened up ample playing time and shot opportunities for the rookie on a young, developing squad.
He made his NBA debut with Utah in October 2022, playing sparingly off the bench early on. But he earned a regular spot in the rotation by November and even cracked the starting lineup 22 times by the end of the season.
In 59 games played so far, Agbaji has averaged a respectable 7.9 points in 20.5 minutes per game while shooting 35.5% from three. He scored a career-high 28 points in an April win over Denver.
While Utah struggles through a rebuilding year, he has shown flashes of his elite athleticism and shooting potential at the wing. And he fits the timeline of the Jazz’s young core.
As he continues gaining experience and confidence, Agbaji has the skills to develop into a primary scoring option and two-way standout for Utah over the coming years.
Ochai Agbaji college career
Agbaji had a standout college career at the University of Kansas. He began as a redshirt freshman and joined the scout team before his redshirt was lifted in January 2019 due to team needs.
He made an immediate impact, scoring 24 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and making two steals in his first career start against Texas. He continued to impress, achieving his first double-double against Texas Tech.
As a freshman, he averaged 8.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 22 games, including 16 starts. In his sophomore season, he debuted with 15 points against fourth-ranked Duke at the Champions Classics.
Ochai Agbaji used to play college basketball for the University of Kansas (Source: Sportskeeda)
Moving on to his junior season, his scoring output increased as he averaged 14.1 points per game while maintaining a 42 percent shooting percentage from the field. Despite declaring for the 2021 NBA draft, he retained his college eligibility.
In his senior season, he made an impressive debut, recording 29 points against Michigan State at the Champions Classic. On January 24, 2022, he achieved a career-high 37 points in a double overtime win over Texas Tech.
Kansas went on to win the 2022 NCAA tournament, with Agbaji playing a pivotal role, scoring 12 points in the championship game and being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player (MOP).
Subsequently, on April 24, 2022, he declared for the 2022 NBA draft, concluding his impressive college career.
Ochai Agbaji comes from a family of sports enthusiasts
Agbaji comes from a family with a deep passion for sports, particularly basketball and volleyball. His father, Olofu, moved from Nigeria to the U.S. at 17.
Both of Agbaji’s parents, Erica and Olofu, have a background in basketball, having played for the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Additionally, his older sister, Orie, contributed to the family’s athletic legacy by playing volleyball for Texas.
The Agbaji family has supported their son’s basketball journey, expressing their joy and pride in his accomplishments.
They have shared their happiness at the prospect of him potentially joining the Milwaukee Bucks, given their connections to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
Ochai Agbaji posing for a picture with his family (Source: Twitter)
However, regardless of where his professional career takes him, they emphasize that they will be elated for his success.
Olofu, Agbaji’s father, reflected on the significance of his achievements, acknowledging the hard work and dedication that his son has put into his basketball career from a young age.
He expressed his pride and appreciation for the surreal nature of the moment, mainly as they took in the experience of seeing Agbaji’s jersey displayed for sale and exhibition at the NBC office in New York.
As Agbaji prepares to transition from collegiate basketball to the NBA, his family’s unwavering support and shared love for the sport underscore the strong influence of sports within their lives.