St. John's University Athletics
Zuby Ejiofor Earns Spot on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Preseason Top 20 Watch List
10/31/2025 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ejiofor becomes the third St. John’s player to be named to a Naismith Starting 5 Watch List
QUEENS, N.Y. – St. John's men's basketball forward Zuby Ejiofor was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Preseason Top 20 Watch List on Friday.
The senior continues to rack up preseason honors after last year's breakout campaign guiding the Red Storm to a BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championship. The Garland, Texas native became just the third St. John's player in the last 34 years to be named BIG EAST Player of the Year. Just yesterday, the BIG EAST's Most Improved Player from last season was named to the NABC Division I Player of the Watch List, one of 20 players from across the country recognized on Thursday.
Ejiofor becomes the third St. John's player to be tabbed to a Naismith Starting 5 Preseason Watch List. The captain is joined by Bryce Hopkins and Ian Jackson, who were both named to their respective positional award watch lists earlier this week.
The big man becomes the first St. John's player to land on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List since Joel Soriano in 2023, who went onto become a finalist for the honor during Head Coach Rick Pitino's first season.
Entering his third year under 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).
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 6-foot-9 post presence ranked fourth in the conference in blocks averaging 1.4 per game.
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 Improved Player, a All-BIG EAST First Team honoree, an All-MET First Team selection and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Second Team choice.
Ejiofor and the No. 5/6 Red Storm will start off the 2025-26 campaign on Monday when it battles 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.
The senior continues to rack up preseason honors after last year's breakout campaign guiding the Red Storm to a BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championship. The Garland, Texas native became just the third St. John's player in the last 34 years to be named BIG EAST Player of the Year. Just yesterday, the BIG EAST's Most Improved Player from last season was named to the NABC Division I Player of the Watch List, one of 20 players from across the country recognized on Thursday.
Ejiofor becomes the third St. John's player to be tabbed to a Naismith Starting 5 Preseason Watch List. The captain is joined by Bryce Hopkins and Ian Jackson, who were both named to their respective positional award watch lists earlier this week.
The big man becomes the first St. John's player to land on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List since Joel Soriano in 2023, who went onto become a finalist for the honor during Head Coach Rick Pitino's first season.
Entering his third year under 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).
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 6-foot-9 post presence ranked fourth in the conference in blocks averaging 1.4 per game.
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 Improved Player, a All-BIG EAST First Team honoree, an All-MET First Team selection and a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Second Team choice.
Ejiofor and the No. 5/6 Red Storm will start off the 2025-26 campaign on Monday when it battles 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.
Players Mentioned
Forward
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Forward/ Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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