KU’s Ochai Agbaji one of 10 in running for Jerry West Shooting Guard Award
Kansas junior Ochai Agbaji has been chosen as one of 10 remaining candidates for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.
Others in the running for the award that goes to the top shooting guard in NCAA Division I men’s basketball: MaCio Teague, Baylor; Joel Ayayi, Gonzaga; James Bouknight, UConn; Chris Duarte, Oregon; Jordan Goodwin, Saint Louis; Terry Taylor, Austin Peay; Cameron Thomas, LSU; Franz Wagner, Michigan and Joe Wieskamp, Iowa.
Agbaji, 6-5 out of Oak Park High School, leads KU in scoring at 14.5 points per game, the ninth best mark in the Big 12. He is second on KU’s team in assists with 30.
Agbaji ranks second in the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage at 43.2%, which ranks 32nd iin the country. He’s also second in the league in three-point field goals made at 2.73 per game.
Five finalists will be presented to West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee in late February. The winner of the 2021 Jerry West Award will be presented April 9.
Previous winners: Myles Powell, Seton Hall (2020), RJ Barrett, Duke (2019), Carsen Edwards, Purdue (2018), Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017), Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016) and D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015).
There is fan voting for the award starting Sunday. For more information go to hoophallawards.com.
This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 5:13 PM with the headline "KU’s Ochai Agbaji one of 10 in running for Jerry West Shooting Guard Award."
