The St. John’s Red Storm shocked the BIG EAST and college basketball last year with a breakout season under Rick Pitino.
Zuby Ejiofor was at the center of that success and will be a key player in St. John’s rotation once again this season.
While there’s still a full college and NBA season to be played before the next draft, Bjorn Berstrom put together an early 2026 mock draft and is predicting Ejiofor to be selected by the New York Knicks with the No. 27 overall pick.
“Having improved greatly during his time at St. John’s, on both ends of the court, Zuby Ejiofor has put himself in prime position to be selected in the first round come 2026,” wrote Berstrom
“The New York Knicks just make sense, as Ejiofor is a rugged, extremely physical center in the paint. What he does isn’t pretty, but it gets the job done. Keeping him in New York would be huge for fanfare and recognition, as well as on-court production, where he could aid the oft-injured Mitchell Robinson at center.”
Jan 28, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. John’s Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) is introduced before a game against the Georgetown Hoyas at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images / Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Ejiofor is coming off a stellar season with St. John’s, averaging 14.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while averaging 57 percent from the floor. The 6-9 center has also shown the potential to be a solid rim protector, averaging 1.4 blocks per game.
Even heading into next season, New York could use some more depth in their frontcourt with Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson only being Mike Brown’s rotational options right now.
If Ejiofor repeats his breakout season, it would make a lot of sense for the Knicks to look to keep the center in the Big Apple to start his professional career.
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