St. John's University Athletics
Zuby Ejiofor Selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2026 NBA Draft
6/23/2026 10:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ejiofor was chosen in the first round with the 23rd overall pick
BROOKLYN, N.Y.– One of the most transformative figures in the recent history of St. John's Men's Basketball, Zuby Ejiofor was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night.
Ejiofor becomes the 63rd player in St. John's men's basketball history be chosen in the NBA Draft and the first since the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Sir'Dominic Pointer with the 53rd overall pick in 2015. The Garland, Texas, native is the first Red Storm player to be picked in the first round since Moe Harkless was taken 15th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012.
The 6-foot-9 forward becomes the 18th first round pick to have played under Head Coach Rick Pitino. Ejiofor is the 32nd player overall to be drafted after having played for Pitino at either St. John's, Iona, Louisville, Kentucky, Providence or Boston University. The Hall of Famer has mentored draft picks across six different decades.
Ejiofor spent three seasons with the Johnnies from 2023-26, playing an integral role in St. John's meteoric rise. During his three-year tenure in Queens, the forward averaged 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. The big man amassed 1,274 points, which ranks 30th all-time in program history. Ejiofor also ranks fifth in career rejections with 165 and ninth in field goal percentage at 54.7%. A two-time team captain and one of only four men in program history to be named BIG EAST Player of the Year, Ejiofor will be inducted into the St. John's Men's Basketball Legacy Ring of Honor this coming season.
During his senior season, Ejiofor emerged as one of the nation's top players. He was the only player to lead his team and rank top-10 in his conference in scoring (16.3 PPG), rebounding (7.3 RPG), assists (3.5 APG) and blocks (2.1 BPG). He tallied 31 double-digit scoring performances, 11 20-plus point outings and was one of two players in NCAA Division I to record seven or more blocks in three separate games.
Ejiofor anchored the Johnnies to their second straight sweep of the BIG EAST Regular Season and BIG EAST Tournament Championships and the school's first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 1999. The Red Storm finished the year with a record of 30-7, reaching the 30-win mark for the second straight season and just the fourth time overall in program history. For the second straight year, the Red Storm tied the BIG EAST's regular season wins record by going 18-2 in a 20-game league slate. Over the past two seasons, only Duke (36-2, .947) has a higher winning percentage in a high-major conference than St. John's.
Ejiofor's on-court production and success in the classroom led to an array of accolades. He was named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year, a CBS Sports Second Team All-American, a USBWA and AP All-America Honorable Mention, the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sport Scholar of the Year, the Haggerty Award winner, and a CSC First Team Academic All-American. In conference, he became the first player to win BIG EAST Player of the Year, the Dave Gavitt Trophy, Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
As a junior, Ejiofor helped guide the Red Storm to its first outright BIG EAST Regular Season Championship in 40 years and its first BIG EAST Tournament title since 2000. The forward registered 14.7 points on 57.7% shooting, 8.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He was named the BIG EAST's Most Improved Player and would later become just the fourth student-athlete in the league's history to win that award and then be named BIG EAST Player of the Year. Additionally, the standout was tabbed a CSC Second Team All-American, an All-BIG EAST First Team selection, a BIG EAST All-Tournament Team pick and an All-MET First Team choice.
Ejiofor appeared in 33 contests, making one during his first season with the Red Storm in 2023-24. The back-up big man added 4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 swats per outing. He began his collegiate career at Kansas, making 25 appearances for the Jayhawks in 2022-23.
Ejiofor becomes the 63rd player in St. John's men's basketball history be chosen in the NBA Draft and the first since the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Sir'Dominic Pointer with the 53rd overall pick in 2015. The Garland, Texas, native is the first Red Storm player to be picked in the first round since Moe Harkless was taken 15th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012.
The 6-foot-9 forward becomes the 18th first round pick to have played under Head Coach Rick Pitino. Ejiofor is the 32nd player overall to be drafted after having played for Pitino at either St. John's, Iona, Louisville, Kentucky, Providence or Boston University. The Hall of Famer has mentored draft picks across six different decades.
Ejiofor spent three seasons with the Johnnies from 2023-26, playing an integral role in St. John's meteoric rise. During his three-year tenure in Queens, the forward averaged 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. The big man amassed 1,274 points, which ranks 30th all-time in program history. Ejiofor also ranks fifth in career rejections with 165 and ninth in field goal percentage at 54.7%. A two-time team captain and one of only four men in program history to be named BIG EAST Player of the Year, Ejiofor will be inducted into the St. John's Men's Basketball Legacy Ring of Honor this coming season.
During his senior season, Ejiofor emerged as one of the nation's top players. He was the only player to lead his team and rank top-10 in his conference in scoring (16.3 PPG), rebounding (7.3 RPG), assists (3.5 APG) and blocks (2.1 BPG). He tallied 31 double-digit scoring performances, 11 20-plus point outings and was one of two players in NCAA Division I to record seven or more blocks in three separate games.
Ejiofor anchored the Johnnies to their second straight sweep of the BIG EAST Regular Season and BIG EAST Tournament Championships and the school's first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 1999. The Red Storm finished the year with a record of 30-7, reaching the 30-win mark for the second straight season and just the fourth time overall in program history. For the second straight year, the Red Storm tied the BIG EAST's regular season wins record by going 18-2 in a 20-game league slate. Over the past two seasons, only Duke (36-2, .947) has a higher winning percentage in a high-major conference than St. John's.
Ejiofor's on-court production and success in the classroom led to an array of accolades. He was named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year, a CBS Sports Second Team All-American, a USBWA and AP All-America Honorable Mention, the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sport Scholar of the Year, the Haggerty Award winner, and a CSC First Team Academic All-American. In conference, he became the first player to win BIG EAST Player of the Year, the Dave Gavitt Trophy, Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
As a junior, Ejiofor helped guide the Red Storm to its first outright BIG EAST Regular Season Championship in 40 years and its first BIG EAST Tournament title since 2000. The forward registered 14.7 points on 57.7% shooting, 8.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He was named the BIG EAST's Most Improved Player and would later become just the fourth student-athlete in the league's history to win that award and then be named BIG EAST Player of the Year. Additionally, the standout was tabbed a CSC Second Team All-American, an All-BIG EAST First Team selection, a BIG EAST All-Tournament Team pick and an All-MET First Team choice.
Ejiofor appeared in 33 contests, making one during his first season with the Red Storm in 2023-24. The back-up big man added 4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 swats per outing. He began his collegiate career at Kansas, making 25 appearances for the Jayhawks in 2022-23.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's BasketballMonday, May 18
Friday, March 27
Thursday, March 26
Sunday, March 22