Know The Draft Prospect: Zuby Ejiofor

Depending on how the board falls, St. John’s big man Zuby Ejiofor could be available when New York is on the clock on draft night next week. Should the Knicks consider him with their 24th or 31st selection?

The Basics

• School: St. John’s (transferred from Kansas)
• Position: Power Forward
• Height: 6’9″
• Weight: 245 lbs
• Age: 22 (Born April 20, 2004)
• 2025-26 Stats: 16.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.1 BLK, 1.2 STL, 53.6% FG, 30.5% 3PT, 71.8% FT
• Projected Draft Range: Late first to very early second round (25–30)

The Numbers

Ejiofor became one of college basketball’s most productive frontcourt players during his final season at St. John’s, his third with the Red Storm. He helped lead the squad to the outright Big East regular-season title and Big East Tournament championship while earning Big East Player of the Year, Big East Defensive Player of the Year and Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.

The St. John’s standout averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.2 steals in 30 minutes per game, and experienced quite the jump from his prior seasons. During his senior-year campaign, Ejiofor’s assists climbed from 1.6 to 3.5 per game, while his blocks rose from 1.4 to 2.1, highlighting his growth as a passer, quicker-processor and defensive playmaker.

ESPN NBA Draft analyst Jeremy Woo has already connected the dots between Ejiofor and the Knicks, saying, “I think he’s someone the Knicks should look at. I think he would fit. I could see him fitting in really well [with the Knicks].”

Skills That Pay the Bills

• Motor and Physicality: Ejiofor plays with the kind of force that should translate immediately to the pro ranks and give him a solid role as soon as he joins a team. He can rebound, runs the floor, is able to absorb contact, contests shots, and does the dirty work without needing many touches of the ball.
• Defensive Versatility: At 245 pounds with a 7’2” wingspan and a 38-inch max vertical, Ejiofor has enough strength, length and explosiveness to defend multiple frontcourt looks. He can protect the rim, switch in spots and make plays in space.
• Rebounding: Ejiofor attacked the glass stubbornly and led Division I in offensive rebounding in 2024-25. He is able to generate extra possessions and doesn’t mind playing through contact.
• Solid Passing: The passing leap is one of the most interesting parts of Ejiofor’s profile. He averaged 3.5 assists per game last season and showed legitimate feel finding cutters, shooters and weak-side options when defenses rotated.
• Improving Touch: Ejiofor is not a proven shooter yet, but his 71.8% free-throw mark and improved shooting at the NBA Draft Combine give some reason for optimism, as he worked to show his comfort on midrange and three-point shots at the event.

Concerns

• Tweener Size: Ejiofor measured just 6’7.5” barefoot, which is short for an NBA center. His wingspan and strength help, but the size question is real against bigger, true NBA fives.
• Limited Shooting: The jumper is still theoretical, as he shot 30.5% from three as a senior, and his NBA value would rise significantly if he became a reliable corner or pick-and-pop threat. Just not there yet.
• Offensive Role: Ejiofor does not project as a self-creator, but more of a finisher with a knack for hustling. Many of his baskets came through put-backs, dump-offs, rim runs, short rolls, and all sorts of low-key-hustle plays. That can work, even more within the Knicks roster, but it’d require Mike Brown to hit all the right lineup buttons.
• Processing Consistency: The passing growth is real, but he still goes with the obvious read or forces plays at times.
• Age: Ejiofor is also considerably older than many prospects—and virtually all of those projected to be first-rounders—and still needs some offensive refinement.

The Knicks Fit

I don’t need convincing for the Knicks to make this pick with any of their first two selections. See, the Knicks are coming off winning their first title since 1973, St. John’s plays home games at Madison Square Garden, New York had the chance of a lifetime to grab one of their own in legendary Red Storm forward Ron Artest… but they botched it. Nearly 30 years later, Ejiofor would help the Knicks fix that wrong if they complete the homecoming in a move that fans would absolutely love.

Mind you, Ejiofor would not enter the organization with Artest-level expectations, but the connection is real, and there might not be a better moment for the organization to kill two NYC birds with one NBA Draft stone. Ejiofor developed under Rick Pitino (name rings a bell, too?), became the face of St. John’s breakthrough season, and built a reputation on toughness, defense and constant effort. Sounds familiar?

Ejiofor’s profile fits the Knicks’ identity to a T. New York has Karl-Anthony Towns as its starting center and reportedly wants to keep Mitchell Robinson, although James Dolan doesn’t seem too excited about the possibility. If Robinson leaves, Ejiofor becomes a logical frontcourt target and immediate replacement in the rotation. If Robinson stays, Ejiofor could still develop as a rugged backup big who brings energy, rebounding, and defensive versatility, allowing the Knicks to let Ariel Hukporti/Mohamed Diawara go—or move them—if they need to clear some financial room.

ESPN national director of recruiting Paul Biancardi also framed the Knicks’ fit around the franchise’s identity, writing, “[Ejiofor] plays with an edge, and that’s how the Knicks won a championship, right? They play with an edge, and coming out of St. John’s, with (head coach) Rick Pitino, that’s a great story for you and a lot of people. I think it’s a fit.”

NBA Comparison

• Best-Case Comparison: Montrezl Harrell with a passing feel
• Median Outcome: Xavier Tillman
• Low-End Outcome: Kenneth Faried without elite rebounding

The Verdict

Think twice at 24th: The decision here would depend on who else is available. If a higher-upside guard, wing, or true stretch big slips, New York might do better than drafting Ejiofor, given his lack of size for a center and his unproven jumper are legitimate concerns. That said, there is a very real possibility this kid gets drafted within the 25-30 range, so the Knicks might miss out if they pass on the chance.

Don’t hesitate at 31st: If Zuby Ejiofor is still available when the Knicks pick early in the second round, the fit makes too much sense to ignore. Ejiofor brings the toughness, defensive activity, and rebounding the Knicks have build their roster around and might need if Mitch leaves. He also comes with some passing chops and a clear role-player mentality that wouldn’t disrupt the core. The Red Storm connection is also a bonus coming, let alone with the program and Ejiofor coming off a great season at St. John’s, giving the Knicks a rare homecoming story right after winning the championship. Make it happen!

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Go Knicks!