Zuby Ejiofor

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Zuby Ejiofor
Ejiofor with the Kansas Jayhawks in 2022
No. 20 – Atlanta Hawks
PositionPower forward
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2004-04-20) April 20, 2004
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight245 lb (111 kg)
Career information
High schoolGarland (Garland, Texas)
College
NBA draft2026: 1st round, 23rd overall pick
Drafted byAtlanta Hawks
Playing career2026–present
Career history
2026–presentAtlanta Hawks
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com 
Stats at Basketball Reference 

Chukwuebuka Ejiofor (born April 20, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks and St. John's Red Storm.

Early life and high school career

Ejiofor attended Garland High School in Garland, Texas, where he averaged 21 points and 13 rebounds per game as a junior.[1] As a senior, he averaged 22 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and two steals per game.[2] Coming out of high school, Ejiofor was rated as a four-star recruit and committed to play college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks.[3]

College career

Kansas

On December 17, 2022, Ejiofor put up eight points, two rebounds, and a block in a win over Indiana.[4] He finished his freshman season in 2022–23 appearing in 25 games, where he averaged 1.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in 5.2 minutes per game.[5]

At the end of Ejiofor’s freshman year, Kansas head coach Bill Self wanted him to redshirt for a year. Self told Ejiofor and his father, Andy Philachack, that he wasn’t “good enough to start and/or play major minutes on any Big 12 team.” The conversation led Ejiofor to transfer. His father later said: “The conversation was pretty serious, Zuby didn’t like it at all. Basically Zuby was like, ‘I didn’t even get a chance.’ Telling him he’s not good enough to play, that put a fire in (Zuby). It was like, ‘All right Dad, get me out of here.’”

After the season, Ejiofor entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal,[6] and later transferred to play for the St. John's Red Storm.[7] By the end of his time at St. John's, he was projected to be drafted early in the 2nd round of the NBA draft, a level that most Big 12 starters don't reach. In the 2026 NCAA tournament Round of 32, he helped St. John’s beat his former team, Kansas, and his former coach to advance the school to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 25 years.[8]

Before the game, Self said: “We didn’t want him to leave. We’re really happy for his success. We just hope it doesn’t come against us.”

St. John's

In his junior and senior years at St. John’s, Ejiofor led St. John’s to consecutive Big East regular season championships and tournament championships. In his senior year, he was chosen as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and the unanimous choice for conference Player of the Year. He was the first St. John's player ever to receive both honors in one year. He was a key reason why St. John’s finished the season ranked number 10 in the country. He was also named the winner of the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year, making him only the 2nd player in Big East history to win all three awards in one year.[9]

At the time of the academic award, the Big East wrote that: "He is averaging 16.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game for the Red Storm this season. He is the only power conference player to rank top 10 in his respective conference and lead his team in all four of those statistical categories."[10]

In his senior year, Ejiofor was also selected as a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year, and named one of four finalists for the national Naismith Trophy Defensive Player of the Year award, presented at the Final Four. He ranked 2nd in the conference and 18th in the country with 2.2 blocks per game. He also set the record for the most blocked shots in a Big East Tournament Championship game with 7 against Connecticut.[11]

During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.[12] On December 7, 2024, Ejiofor notched 28 points and 13 rebounds in win against Kansas State.[13] On December 20, he recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds, including the game-winning shot in a 72–70 win versus Providence.[14] On February 26, 2025, Ejiofor finished with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in a victory against Butler.[15] On March 8, he scored 17 points while bringing down 12 rebounds and hitting the game-winning shot in overtime in a win over Marquette.[16] For his performance during the 2024–25 season, Ejiofor was named a first-team all-Big East Conference selection.[17]

St. John’s coach Rick Pitino praised Ejiofor, saying: “Zuby’s always trying to get better. He’s always talking about his teammates. He’s an all-American off the court because it’s all about his teammates. It’s never about him. He’s a huge throwback to what you see with young athletes today. It’s never about him. It’s always about the teammates. It’s always about St. John’s. He’s a great throwback. I’m going to miss him terribly."[18]

During Ejiofor's final Big East tournament, Seton Hall's head coach, Shaheen Holloway, told him: “Zuby, I’m glad you’re getting out of the league. Zuby embodies what the Big East is all about. I don’t like playing against you, but I’m a big fan of yours.”[19]

After the 2025–26 season, Ejiofor was awarded the Haggerty Award as the top player in the New York City metro area.[20]

Professional career

On June 23, 2026, Ejiofor was selected with the 23rd overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2026 NBA draft.

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College

* Led Big East Conference
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2022–23 Kansas 2505.1.650–.5001.7.2.1.61.2
2023–24 St. John's 33111.2.489.375.7123.1.7.41.14.3
2024–25 St. John's 36*3531.8.577.222.7088.11.6.91.414.7
2025–26 St. John's 373730.0.536.305.7187.33.51.22.116.3
Career[21] 1317321.0.550.277.7095.41.7.71.410.0

References

  1. Bedore, Gary. "Former KU forward Zuby Ejiofor picks transfer spot ... with another Hall of Fame coach". Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  2. Bedore, Gary. "KU Jayhawks power forward Zuby Ejiofor erupts for 28 points in Bill Self campers game". Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  3. Guskey, Jordan. "'I saw the opportunities': Catching up with Kansas men's basketball commit Zuby Ejiofor". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  4. Laddha, Shreyas. "How Kansas Jayhawks freshman Zuby Ejiofor made most of opportunity against Indiana". Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  5. Guskey, Jordan. "Kansas men's basketball forward Zuby Ejiofor has entered the transfer portal". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  6. Bedore, Gary. "Zuby Ejiofor's mentor and KU coach Bill Self discuss freshman entering transfer portal". Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  7. Serby, Steve. "Zuby Ejiofor's March Madness dreams fueling his St. John's rise after heartbreaking end last year". New York Post. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  8. NJ.com, Adam Zagoria | For (March 3, 2026). "How does St. John's star project to the pros? 'Amazing how he has improved'". nj. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  9. Braziller, Zach (March 11, 2026). "Zuby Ejiofor's St. John's legend grows with Big East Player of the Year honor". New York Post. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  10. "St. John's Ejiofor Named Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year". www.bigeast.com. March 11, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  11. "Zuby Ejiofor Named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Finalist". St. John's University Athletics. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  12. Williams, James. "Zuby Ejiofor and Kadary Richmond Named Basketball Captains". The Torch. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  13. Bedore, Gary. "Former KU basketball forward Zuby Ejiofor enjoying stellar season at St. John's". Kansas City Star. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  14. Braziler, Zach. "St. John's shocks Providence at the buzzer on Zuby Ejiofor's clutch shot". New York Post. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  15. Braziler, Zach. "St. John's Zuby Ejiofor comes up big down stretch after early woes". New York Post. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  16. Steele, Ben. "Zuby Ejiofor's shot at OT buzzer for St. John's ruins Senior Day for Kam Jones, Marquette". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  17. Braziler, Zach. "St. John's Zuby Ejiofor, RJ Luis make All-Big East First Team — though other star is snubbed". New York Post. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  18. read, Adam Zagoria·5 min (March 21, 2026). "Bill Self told St. John's star Zuby Ejiofor he 'wasn't good enough to start' at Kansas". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 29, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. FITZPATRICK, By MIKE (March 11, 2026). "Zuby Ejiofor, Shaheen Holloway and Nigel James Jr. take top Big East awards". SFGATE. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  20. "Zuby Ejiofor Wins Lt. Frank J. Haggerty Award". St. John's Red Storm. April 23, 2026. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  21. "Zuby Ejiofor College Stats". College Basketball at Sports Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2026.