LAWRENCE, Kan. (KUAthletics.com) – Kansas men’s basketball standouts Udoka Azubuike, Christian Braun and Andrew Wiggins will be part of opening night in the NBA on Tuesday, Oct. 24, when the Denver Nuggets play at the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns play at the Golden State Warriors.
Azubuike, Braun and Wiggins are among 12 Jayhawks on NBA opening day rosters, including, Ochai Agbaji (Utah Jazz), Gradey Dick (Toronto Raptors), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Devonte’ Graham (San Antonio Spurs), Marcus Morris (Los Angeles Clippers), Markieff Morris (Dallas Mavericks), Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Boston Celtics), Kelly Oubre Jr. (Philadelphia 76ers) and Jalen Wilson (Brooklyn Nets).
Wiggins, who played at KU in 2013-14 and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, is in his 10th season in the league and his fifth with the Warriors. In 2022, Wiggins won the NBA title with the Warriors.
A starter on Kansas’ 2022 NCAA Championship team, Braun enters his second season with the Nuggets after being a key contributor to the 2023 NBA Finals Championship team. Braun became the fifth player in history to win both a NCAA Championship and an NBA Finals Championship in back-to-back seasons. Braun became the 15th Jayhawk to win an NBA Championship.
Embiid is entering his 10th season with the Philadelphia 76ers and is the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player. Embiid is a six-time NBA All-Star and a five-time member of the All-NBA Team. During the 2022 season, Embiid won the 2022 NBA scoring title, becoming the first center to do so since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000.
Agbaji was picked 14th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2022 NBA Draft but was soon traded to the Jazz. Agbaji was a starter on Kansas’ 2022 National Championship team and is entering his second season with the Jazz.
Azubuike was the 27th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft and is entering his fourth season, first with the Suns. Oubre, the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, begins his ninth season in the NBA and his first with the 76ers.
Entering his sixth season in the league, Graham begins his first season with the Spurs. Mykhailiuk is also entering his sixth season and his first with the Celtics.
Markieff Morris and his twin brother Marcus are the longest-tenured Jayhawks active in the NBA, with both entering their 13th season. Markieff is in his first season with the Mavericks, while Marcus is in his fifth season with the Clippers.
Dick was drafted 13th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2023 NBA Draft after a standout freshman season at Kansas. A key contributor on Kansas’ 2022 National Championship team, Wilson was drafted 51st overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the same draft class as Dick.
Jayhawks on 2023-24 NBA Opening Day Rosters
Ochai Agbaji – Utah Jazz
Udoka Azubuike – Phoenix Suns
Christian Braun – Denver Nuggets
Gradey Dick – Toronto Raptors
Joel Embiid – Philadelphia 76ers
Devonte’ Graham – San Antonio Spurs
Marcus Morris – Los Angeles Clippers
Markieff Morris – Dallas Mavericks
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk – Boston Celtics
Kelly Oubre, Jr. – Philadelphia 76ers
Andrew Wiggins – Golden State Warriors
Jalen Wilson – Brooklyn Nets
