Nothing has phased Zuby Ejiofor in his time at St. John’s. Since transferring from Kansas after his freshman year, Ejiofor secured a rotation spot in his sophomore year, then won the starting center job
in his junior year, developed into an incredibly impactful player on the court, and captained the first Red Storm team to win a Big East tournament title in a quarter-century.
After Ejiofor won the Big East Preseason Player of the Year award earlier this week, head coach Rick Pitino is now hoping his star center can handle having a target on his back as one of the premier players in college basketball.
“Every player I’ve had that reaches this level has an incredible threshold for work. What I told [Zuby] was that he’s now a marked man,” Pitino commented of Ejiofor during Tuesday’s Big East Media Day, “He’s now a great defensive end who got to the quarterback all of the time, suddenly being blocked by two or three people.”
With a nearly half-century-long coaching resume, Pitino is no stranger to coaching players who are at the top of other teams’ scouting reports in boldface. With more defensive attention to come Ejiofor’s way, the Red Storm head coach wants his big man to facilitate the offense and play through his teammates to open games, recalling how Michael Jordan would delegate, then dominate on the court.
“Michael [Jordan] would take the first quarter to distribute the basketball and make sure everybody got their shots, then the fourth quarter comes and he’s scored 35 points,” Pitino mentioned, “I told Zuby to let the game come to him. Early on, get the other guys shots, distribute the basketball, and finish the game in high fashion.”
Very few players transformed their games as much as Ejiofor did last season. The big man from Garland, Texas went from averaging 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in his sophomore year to posting 14.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in his junior year, claiming the Big East’s Most Improved Player distinction in the process.
Ejiofor won’t be sneaking up on anyone this season and will be expected to lead the preseason fifth-ranked team in the country toward better results after their second-round exit in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but he is taking this burden in stride.
“That’s just what the game comes with,” Ejiofor responded on Tuesday, “I still approach my day the same as I’ve always done. I try to approach every single game, every practice, every day by trying to be the best leader for the rest of the guys.”
If St. John’s wants to run it back as Big East double champions and go farther in the Big Dance, the uber-talented transfer class will need to buy into Pitino’s high-pressure system. As one of the vocal leaders on the team and someone who knows to heart what it’s like playing under Pitino, Ejiofor is trying to convey that all of the sweat equity will pay off in the end.
“It’s going to be a total grind. There are a lot of hours that go into winning basketball, and winning is the standard at St. John’s that we’re trying to build,” Ejiofor answered, “There are going to be ups and downs, but at the end of the day, it’s really worth it.”
The Red Storm will have one final preseason exhibition before the start of the season on Saturday night when they face No. 7 Michigan. Tip-off at Madison Square Garden is slated for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on Big Ten+.
