St. John's University Athletics
Zuby Ejiofor Named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award Late-Season Team
2/27/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
St. John’s senior forward is one of 15 players in consideration for nation’s top defensive player award
QUEENS, N.Y. - St. John's men's basketball senior Zuby Ejiofor earned a spot on the Naismith Men's College Defensive Player of the Year Late-Season Team presented by MOLECULE, the Atlanta Tip-off Club announced on Friday.
Ejiofor was one of 15 finalists tabbed to the list as the nation's top defensive player who will be honored during the 2026 NCAA Tournament Final Four in Indianapolis.
The Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year has been the centerpiece of a Red Storm unit that ranks 16th in the country in defensive efficiency according to KenPom. Ejiofor has helped guide the Johnnies to a 22-6 record and a 15-2 mark in conference play, which included a 13-game winning streak.
An elite rim protector, the Garland, Texas native ranks fourth in the BIG EAST and 31st in NCAA Division I averaging 1.9 blocks per game. The 6-foot-9 forward stands 30th in the country and third in the league with 53 total blocks, which marks a career-best. Ejiofor became the first player since 2021 to tally eight swats in back-to-back games. He set his career-high in consecutive contests against Ole Miss (Dec. 6) and Iona (Dec. 13).
Ejiofor has cleaned up the glass this season ranking seventh in the league and second on the team with 7.1 rebounds per game. After leading NCAA Division I in offensive rebounding last season, Ejiofor has been a force on both ends of the floor pulling down 95 offensive and 103 defensive caroms. He has collected nine or more boards in 10 contests, including a career-high 15 against Providence on Jan. 3.
A true jack-of-all trades, Ejiofor affects opposing offenses in many ways with his suffocating ball pressure. He ranks third on the team logging 1.1 steals per game and has made two or more steals in 10 contests this season. In BIG EAST play, Ejiofor leads the team and ranks top-10 in the BIG EAST with 1.3 steals per outing. In a win over Creighton in Omaha on Jan. 10, the team captain recorded a career-high four takeaways.
After winning last year's BIG EAST Most Improved Player award and helping lead the Red Storm to tie a program record with 31 victories, Ejiofor has deservedly racked up the accolades during his final collegiate season. He has been named to the- NABC Division I Player of the Year Watch List, Naismith Trophy Division I Player of the Year Late-Season Team; Sporting News Preseason Third Team All-American, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Top 10 Watch List, a two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week and five-time BIG EAST Honor Roll recipient.
Ejiofor and the Red Storm will be back in action on Saturday night for St. John's annual "White Out" game at Madison Square Garden when it takes on Villanova at 8 p.m. on FOX.
Ejiofor was one of 15 finalists tabbed to the list as the nation's top defensive player who will be honored during the 2026 NCAA Tournament Final Four in Indianapolis.
The Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year has been the centerpiece of a Red Storm unit that ranks 16th in the country in defensive efficiency according to KenPom. Ejiofor has helped guide the Johnnies to a 22-6 record and a 15-2 mark in conference play, which included a 13-game winning streak.
An elite rim protector, the Garland, Texas native ranks fourth in the BIG EAST and 31st in NCAA Division I averaging 1.9 blocks per game. The 6-foot-9 forward stands 30th in the country and third in the league with 53 total blocks, which marks a career-best. Ejiofor became the first player since 2021 to tally eight swats in back-to-back games. He set his career-high in consecutive contests against Ole Miss (Dec. 6) and Iona (Dec. 13).
Ejiofor has cleaned up the glass this season ranking seventh in the league and second on the team with 7.1 rebounds per game. After leading NCAA Division I in offensive rebounding last season, Ejiofor has been a force on both ends of the floor pulling down 95 offensive and 103 defensive caroms. He has collected nine or more boards in 10 contests, including a career-high 15 against Providence on Jan. 3.
A true jack-of-all trades, Ejiofor affects opposing offenses in many ways with his suffocating ball pressure. He ranks third on the team logging 1.1 steals per game and has made two or more steals in 10 contests this season. In BIG EAST play, Ejiofor leads the team and ranks top-10 in the BIG EAST with 1.3 steals per outing. In a win over Creighton in Omaha on Jan. 10, the team captain recorded a career-high four takeaways.
After winning last year's BIG EAST Most Improved Player award and helping lead the Red Storm to tie a program record with 31 victories, Ejiofor has deservedly racked up the accolades during his final collegiate season. He has been named to the- NABC Division I Player of the Year Watch List, Naismith Trophy Division I Player of the Year Late-Season Team; Sporting News Preseason Third Team All-American, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Top 10 Watch List, a two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week and five-time BIG EAST Honor Roll recipient.
Ejiofor and the Red Storm will be back in action on Saturday night for St. John's annual "White Out" game at Madison Square Garden when it takes on Villanova at 8 p.m. on FOX.
Players Mentioned
Forward
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