photo by: Nick Krug/Journal-World

Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji (30) roars after a bucket against Kansas State during the second half on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 at Bramlage Coliseum.

Former Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji realized his NBA dreams on Thursday night when he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 14th pick in the NBA Draft.

Agbaji, who was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player following the Jayhawks’ national championship run in April, is the highest-drafted player out of Kansas since Josh Jackson was taken by the Phoenix Suns with the fourth pick in 2017.

He’s the first player who was drafted out of Kansas since Udoka Azubuike was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 27th pick in 2020, the 26th player drafted who played for coach Bill Self at Kansas and the 86th player drafted by an NBA team from the university.

Teammate Christian Braun was also drafted Thursday as he went to the Denver Nuggets with the No. 21 pick.

A senior last season, Agbaji was widely expected to be chosen in the middle of the first round by nearly every draft analyst and in Cleveland joins a team that finished 44-38 and made the play-in round of the playoffs.

The Cavaliers last drafted a player out of Kansas in 2014, when they selected Andrew Wiggins with the first pick. Wiggins won the NBA title with the Golden State Warriors earlier this month.

The unanimous Big 12 player of the year last season, Agbaji led the conference with 18.8 points per game and averaged 5.1 rebounds and shot 47.5%, including 40.9% from 3-point range, while playing 35.1 minutes per game.

He left Kansas ranked 15th in school history with 1,652 points, fourth with 250 3-pointers made and ninth with 3,978 minutes played.