NEW ORLEANS, La. — Bill Self pulled Ochai Agbaji aside as the KU basketball team celebrated its win over Miami in the Elite Eight. The Hall of Fame head coach put his right hand on Agbaji’s shoulder and confetti fell around the two. The head coach looked into his player’s eyes and sent a message. Agbaji had the chance to do something no other player under Self has ever done.

Self has coached plenty of talented players during his time at KU and plenty of his players have had accolade-filled years. Mario Chalmers was a national champion and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, along with First Team All Big 12 honors. But he was never a First Team All American or the Big 12 Player of the Year. Frank Mason was the National Player of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year and a First Team All American, but he didn’t win it all. The same goes for Devonte Graham.

As for Agbaji, it’s all still on the table. He’s already a First Team All Big 12 honoree, the Big 12 Player of the Year, the Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player and a consensus First Team All American. The only thing missing is a national title.

"I told him that right after we won the game against Miami,” Self said. “I said, 'I don't know if you realize this but it can be.'”

He continued.

"I mean, you stop and think about it,” Self said. “Player of the year in the league. Win the league. Win the [Big 12] tournament. First Team All American. Get to the Final Four. I mean Devonte did those same things. But he didn't win it. And Danny did those exact same things, except they didn't win the league and they didn't win the conference tournament. But they still won it. So Ochai would have a chance to go down as the best year that anybody's ever had with the exception of Danny because Danny was National Player of the Year."

The National Player of the Year honors went to Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe. Agbaji responded to that on the floor in the national semifinal and in a brief media availability postgame.

Earlier this week, Agbaji was asked about the conversation with Self and the potential of having the best season of any player under Self at Kansas.

"I mean, it's an honor even being in the same sentence as Danny Manning and all those other great players,” Agbaji said. “It just shows a lot about running your own race. A lot of people from high school, they could either come out hot or they come out underrated. I think just everyone has their own path. And that's just how it is."

Agbaji’s rise at KU has been well documented. The guard started as an under-recruited prospect coming out of Oak Park in Kansas City and began his KU career as a redshirt before it was pulled in January of 2019. Every season, Agbaji has improved.

“You gotta come here,” Self said, “and you got to play well and win two games."

Agbaji helped KU to win No. 1 on Saturday with a 21-point performance. Another strong showing from Agbaji and the Jayhawks would not only lock up a second national title this century but put Agbaji at the pinnacle of individual success at KU under Self.

"The bottom line is nobody would have a resume that he has had his last year in college, except for Danny and certainly nobody since I've coached here," Self said.