Orlando Magic 2022 NBA Draft: 3 rising, 3 falling after the NCAA Tournament

2022 NBA Draft: 3 Rising and 3 Falling after the NCAA Tournament

Rising: Ochai Agbaji, Kansas

Someone has to win the national championship. And someone is going to get put in the spotlight for it.

Ochai Agbaji is viewed in this draft as the sure pick. That is what happens when you are a senior among underclassmen. Everyone thinks you are pretty well defined and figured out.

Agbaji may not become a star player in the NBA, but he will be as solid as he was for Kansas. He can hit shots from the outside and make good decisions on how to attack. He will slot in wherever he ends up and contribute.

But maybe Agbaji can do a whole lot more.

Agbaji scored just 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting in the national championship game against North Carolina. It was not a standout performance on the box score. But he was still impactful in helping quiet North Carolina’s guards in the second half.

Agbaji was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player for averaging 13.7 points per game and shooting 46.2-percent from the floor. His defense helped too as the Jayhawks waltzed to the national title game.

In his best game, he scored 21 points and hit six 3-pointers in the Jayhawks’ Final Four victory over Villanova. That showed off his potential as a shooter.

Agbaji averaged 18.9 points per game and made 41.0-percent of his 3-pointers. That is a great place to start. The fact he is a senior is likely going to depress his draft stock.

But he is the one exiting the tournament with a ring. He is the one that has shown the league he can fit in with a winning team, even when he is their leading scorer. He is the one with bragging rights.

That is not something anyone will take away from him.