Jazz HC Sounds Off on Ochai Agbaji's Ejection vs. Lakers

Ochai Agbaji was ejected in the third quarter of the Utah Jazz's Sunday finale vs. the Las Angeles Lakers.

And just like that, the season is over for the Utah Jazz. Falling to the Los Angeles Lakers 128-117 on Sunday afternoon, the Jazz punctuated a roller-coaster campaign with a loss in the season finale. 

But it was for the best. Once the Jazz were eliminated from playoff contention, each loss only bolstered their lottery standing. 

In Easter Sunday's action, Jazz rookie guard Ochai Agbaji was ejected from the game. It happened in the third quarter when Agbaji ostensibly raised his voice to a ref and tossed the ball perhaps a bit too hard at him. 

After the game, Jazz head coach Will Hardy shared his reaction to Agbaji's ejection. 

“Ochai’s obviously a big focal point for us," Hardy said post-game. "He decided to wait until the 82nd game to get a bad-boy image."

Hardy's words were said with a smile. To the coach, it was the height of irony to see Agbaji, of all people, get ejected.  

"He’s like the nicest kid on the team besides Walker [Kessler], and he gets thrown out in the last game of the year," Hardy said. "So just add it to the list of wacky things that have happened with this team this season. If you would have told me tonight that Ochai was going to get kicked out, I would have said there’s no chance in hell that would happen. But we’re nothing if not exciting.” 

Indeed, it was a topsy-turvy Year 1 for Hardy as head coach. He rolled with the punches of some very unique obstacles in his first year and deserves credit for keeping the Jazz together and competitive, especially amid the low expectations that surrounded the team to start the year, which only intensified following the NBA trade deadline. 

“We’ve talked a lot about just let us play the games," Hardy said. "Everybody has a preconceived notion about—and I understand it’s people’s jobs to have opinions. And I understand all that. But we’ve talked a lot with the team this year about don’t let anybody tell you who you are, and no matter what anybody says is supposed to happen, we still gotta go play 48 minutes. I think our team has embodied that this year. 

The Jazz are very excited about Agbaji and his outlook. The rookie gain invaluable minutes down the stretch of this season, which could help launch him to the next level in 2023-24. 

Agbaji finished the night with eight points on 4-for-13 from the field. He finished the season with 59 NBA games under belt, averaging 8.0 and 2.1 rebounds per game. 

In tandem with Kessler, his fellow rookie, Agbaji's future is bright. And Utah is going to need him with Jordan Clarkson and Talen Horton-Tucker's cloudy future with the team. 

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