Toronto Raptors’ Ochai Agbaji on Fatherhood, Fashion & French at the Art Gallery of Ontario

Checking the boxes isn’t flashy. Consistent work, stacked day after day, year after year, isn’t often advertised on a marquee. It doesn’t sell out tickets in Scotiabank Arena or elicit YouTube highlight reels. Stoic personalities that maintain their composure through the turbulence of a gruelling NBA season rarely garner viral press clips. But for Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji, checking the boxes is a requisite element to success. In fact, both on and off the court, the concept of maintaining consistency is a guiding mantra for the 25-year-old.

It’s been a big summer for Agbaji. As he strolls into the Art Gallery of Ontario for our shoot, he’s followed closely by his wife, Avery. The pair got married this summer and, by the end of the year, they’ll welcome their first child into the world. For most 25-year-olds, juggling this sheer volume of major life changes would be daunting, no matter how positive. But Agbaji doesn’t flinch when asked about what’s to come. With the NBA season tipping off shortly, he lays out how he plans to balance the work travel with family life. During the regular season, Agbaji and the Raptors will travel to 41 road games in 30 different arenas, sometimes playing as many as four games in a week, with each one taking place in a different city. It’s a whirlwind schedule at the best of times and, this year, uncharted waters for him and his family. But, as he explains, he takes pride in steadying the ship.

“I want to feel good internally about what I’m doing behind the scenes when no one is watching. That’s kind of how I roll.”

Ochai Agbaji

The only time his stoicism gives way is when talking about the concept of becoming a “girl dad.” Immediately, he lights up. “Oh man, you have no idea. I’m so, so excited. I just can’t wait to be a father,” he says, the most animated he’s been since arriving on set. “We’re really, really blessed and thankful to even be able to just carry a healthy baby.”

But when it comes to basketball, his energy shifts. It’s not that there’s a lack of joy when it comes to previewing the season ahead but rather, a reserved sense of responsibility. Last season, Agbaji took a leap both offensively and defensively for the Raptors, helping to ground the team’s talented young core with a sense of veteran consistency. He became one of the team’s most durable players and saw his shooting efficiency skyrocket. But what became his calling card was his stalwart on-ball defence, which saw him guard the opposing team’s best players, from LeBron James to Kevin Durant.

“I want to be a guy that coach can rely on whenever, whether [it’s] being put in different spots to guard the best player or being a consistent shooter,” he explains. “For me, I always point to my work ethic. It’s what has gotten me to this point, and also [what] will carry me through and allow me to continue to be successful at this level. No matter what your specialty is as a player, you have to be consistent at it. […] Even on your most fatigued days, it’s about still putting that work in and feeling good about it. I want to feel good internally about what I’m doing behind the scenes when no one is watching. That’s kind of how I roll.”

Therein lies what makes Agbaji such a valuable prospect — at just 25 years old, he carries a veteran work ethic. Years ago, a viral clip circulated of NBA Hall-of-Famer and then–head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas, Patrick Ewing, challenging one of his players after an ill-advised shot. “What kind of shot is that?” he asked, utterly exasperated. “Have you ever shot that shot? Do you work on that shot? When?”

The clip was mostly social media fodder, a fleeting outtake from a meaningless regular-season game. But it serves as a vital lesson for anyone honing a craft: practice with intention. The video also stands in stark contrast to how Agbaji has evolved his game. First, he checked the boxes he knew the team required most (defence and durability) before consistently developing his outside shooting. On a young team riddled with injuries, Agbaji’s efforts will take time to pay dividends. But he hopes his commitment to checking the right boxes can help mould a winning culture.

“We have higher expectations than last year,” he says. “We all have a chip on our shoulder, knowing we left some games on the table that we knew we could win. […] Now, moving forward, it’s about being more consistent game-to-game. Every single night, I want to draw the team’s best offensive player. But being able to execute on a nightly basis, that’s my main focus. It’s not a stats thing or something I can measure. I just want consistency. Guys in the league know that when you’re playing the Raptors, it’s not going to be an easy game. You’re going to have to scrap and fight to get a basket. We’re trying to maintain that and elevate it this year.”

“Style is the place where I can really experiment and let it shift with my mood or whatever chapter I’m in. It’s sort of permission to let loose.”

Ochai Agbaji

Agbaji’s work ethic, as he proudly attests, comes from a trio of influences. Both of his parents played basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Years ago, they helped shape the player he’d come to be. Now, he and his wife look to them as a support system for their growing family. “Family is what has made me who I am today. And I’m a firm believer in that,” he says. “It’s always motivated me; family and my community, specifically, are two things that have motivated me to always want to keep showing up.” Throughout his college career, Agbaji worked under the tutelage of Bill Self at the University of Kansas, one of the most notoriously demanding coaches in the sport. Alongside Self’s authority, Agbaji’s work ethic shone, ultimately resulting in an NCAA Championship in his senior year and being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

Outside of basketball, his commitment to growth extends into unexpected avenues. On set, he speaks French to our photographer, a language he’s been committed to learning in his (very limited) spare time. “I’ve had a tutor since January, so the progression has been really exciting. It’s a difficult language, but I’m practising constantly,” he says. “I think, like most things in life, it’s discipline. I wake up and do my work every morning. It’s easiest when I have the most energy. I wake up and speak French with my tutor for an hour.”

His foray into fashion is one of the few lanes in which he’s willing to deviate from dutifully checking the boxes. He combines high-fashion elements with soccer jerseys, playing between the lines of vintage sports style and luxury labels. “In life, in basketball, my job isn’t to take risks,” he explains. “But style is the place where I can really experiment and let it shift with my mood or whatever chapter I’m in. It’s sort of permission to let loose.”

But outside the pre-game tunnel (and the occasional editorial shoot), Agbaji’s focus lies firmly on practising the shots he’s being asked to take, whether that’s for a Toronto Raptors team in the midst of a rebuild or his growing family. “My main focus is just remaining consistent, consistency in everything: a consistent player, a consistent husband, [and] now, a consistent father,” he says. “Life doesn’t stop, but you just have to keep showing up.”