St. John's University Athletics
Zuby Ejiofor Named to NABC Division I Player of the Year Award Watch List
10/30/2025 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year was one of 20 players across the country tabbed to the list
QUEENS, N.Y. – Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Player of the Year Award Preseason Watch List on Thursday.
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Ejiofor was one of 20 players from across the country to tabbed to the watch list for the NABC Player of the Year award, which is given to the nation's top player during the 2026 NCAA Tournament Final Four in Indianapolis. Â Â The senior was one of two players from the BIG EAST to land on the list joined by Connecticut's Alex Karaban.
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This marks the second consecutive year a St. John's player has made been honored preseason after Kadary Richmond was selected in 2024. Ejiofor becomes the third Johnnie in the last five years to be recognized by the NABC joining Richmond and Julian Champagnie in 2021.
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On Oct. 21, the Garland, Texas native was named the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league's coaches in conjunction with conference's media day at Madison Square Garden. The forward became the first St. John's player to garner the honor since Shamorie Ponds in 2018-19. Prior to Ponds, the last BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year out of Queens was Malik Sealy in 1991-92. Ejiofor was one of five Johnnies to be land on the Preseason All-BIG EAST teams, which is believed to be the most in league history. The Red Storm were picked to repeat as regular season champions selected as No. 1 in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches poll.
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Entering his third year under Hall of Fame Head Coach Rick Pitino, Ejiofor is coming off a breakout junior campaign in 2024-25. The big man averaged 14.7 points on 57.7% shooting from the floor, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game while leading the Red Storm to a 31-5 overall record. The former Kansas transfer led the league in double-doubles and ranked second in the BIG EAST in rebounds per game (8.1) and total rebounds (291).
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As a junior, he logged 29 double-figure scoring outings and seven 20-plus point performances. In the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinal against Marquette on March 14, Ejiofor shattered the St. John's BIG EAST Tournament record exploding for a career-high 33 points at Madison Square Garden. The all-league first team honoree paced the nation in offensive rebounding pulling down 4.4 per contest and carried a streak of 18 games of seven rebounds or more.
Ejiofor racked up a slew of postseason accolades following the 2024-25 BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championship for the Johnnies. The post player was tabbed the BIG EAST's Most Improve Player, an All-BIG EAST First Team honoree, an All-MET First Team selection and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Second Team choice.
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Ejiofor and the No. 5/6 Red Storm will begin the 2025-26 season on Monday when it faces Quinnipiac at 6:30 p.m. on FS1. The Johnnies will make their regular season Madison Square Garden debut with a marquee showdown against No. 15/16 Alabama at 12 p.m.
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Ejiofor was one of 20 players from across the country to tabbed to the watch list for the NABC Player of the Year award, which is given to the nation's top player during the 2026 NCAA Tournament Final Four in Indianapolis. Â Â The senior was one of two players from the BIG EAST to land on the list joined by Connecticut's Alex Karaban.
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This marks the second consecutive year a St. John's player has made been honored preseason after Kadary Richmond was selected in 2024. Ejiofor becomes the third Johnnie in the last five years to be recognized by the NABC joining Richmond and Julian Champagnie in 2021.
Â
On Oct. 21, the Garland, Texas native was named the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league's coaches in conjunction with conference's media day at Madison Square Garden. The forward became the first St. John's player to garner the honor since Shamorie Ponds in 2018-19. Prior to Ponds, the last BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year out of Queens was Malik Sealy in 1991-92. Ejiofor was one of five Johnnies to be land on the Preseason All-BIG EAST teams, which is believed to be the most in league history. The Red Storm were picked to repeat as regular season champions selected as No. 1 in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches poll.
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Entering his third year under Hall of Fame Head Coach Rick Pitino, Ejiofor is coming off a breakout junior campaign in 2024-25. The big man averaged 14.7 points on 57.7% shooting from the floor, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game while leading the Red Storm to a 31-5 overall record. The former Kansas transfer led the league in double-doubles and ranked second in the BIG EAST in rebounds per game (8.1) and total rebounds (291).
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As a junior, he logged 29 double-figure scoring outings and seven 20-plus point performances. In the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinal against Marquette on March 14, Ejiofor shattered the St. John's BIG EAST Tournament record exploding for a career-high 33 points at Madison Square Garden. The all-league first team honoree paced the nation in offensive rebounding pulling down 4.4 per contest and carried a streak of 18 games of seven rebounds or more.
Ejiofor racked up a slew of postseason accolades following the 2024-25 BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championship for the Johnnies. The post player was tabbed the BIG EAST's Most Improve Player, an All-BIG EAST First Team honoree, an All-MET First Team selection and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Second Team choice.
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Ejiofor and the No. 5/6 Red Storm will begin the 2025-26 season on Monday when it faces Quinnipiac at 6:30 p.m. on FS1. The Johnnies will make their regular season Madison Square Garden debut with a marquee showdown against No. 15/16 Alabama at 12 p.m.
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Players Mentioned
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