NBA

Utah’s rookie SG Ochai Agbaji is making the most of his increased playing time with the Jazz, he’s started the last 10 games

Author photo
By
Zach Wolpin
Author photo
Zach Wolpin Sports Editor

Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.

All posts by Zach Wolpin
Sports Editor

Updated24 Mar 2023

Ochai Agbaji pic

The Utah Jazz are currently in a log jam in the back half of the Western Conference. Four teams are (13.0) games back at the moment, while the Jazz sit at (13.5) games back as the 12th seed. Injuries have hurt the Jazz at this point in the season, but that’s led to an increased role for rookie SG Ochai Agbaji. He’s started the last ten games in a row for Utah and could be a valuable piece if he can improve his game each season. 

Agbaji was selected 14th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers on draft night and was traded to the Utah Jazz as a part of the Donovan Mitchell deal. He was coming off a national championship win with Kansas who defeated UNC and called being traded to the Jazz, a ‘new and good opportunity’.

He’s been adjusting to life in the NBA after spending four seasons at Kansas. NBA betting sites have the Utah Jazz at (+75000) to win the Finals this season.

Ochai Agbaji has been making the most of his increased playing time with the Jazz

Collin Sexton has been out for the last 12 games in a row with a hamstring injury for the Utah Jazz. That has led to an increased role for rookie SG, Ochai Agbaji. He’s played in 49 games and has made 12 starts this season, including the last 10 in a row for Utah.

Agbaji scored a career-high 27 points on Monday in the Jazz’s 128-120 win vs the Sacramento Kings. For most of the season he was averaging (6.5) points per game, but his increased minutes have raised that to (12.5) per game over the last month. He had this to say to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto in a recent interview about adjusting to NBA life.

““I think finding your everyday routine in the NBA is fast-paced, but sometimes it could be slow,”… “Sometimes you have a lot of free time. Sometimes you’re on the road and busy playing back-to-backs. It’s finding a routine that makes a lot of things easier.” – Ochai Agbaji

The Jazz currently have 10 regular season games left to try and make the play-in tournament. Their next game is tonight at home vs Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.