“The best ability is availability,” is one of the oldest and most accurate proverbs in all of sports, and an adage that Zuby Ejiofor has personified for St. John’s this season.
On his way to winning the 2025 Big East’s Most Improved Player, Ejiofor appeared in every regular season game for the Johnnies, averaging about 32 minutes in every contest. His stats ballooned to 14.1 points per game and 8.2 rebounds, almost three times better than his 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds last season.
This impressive jump for the Red Storm’s junior co-captain has been a season-long project for Rick Pitino that has paid off in droves.
“Everybody had to understand coach Pitino’s system,” Ejiofor said concerning his and the team’s improvement under Rick Pitino. “Being able to apply pressure for the full 40 minutes and being one of the best-conditioned groups like Coach Pitino has said previously, it just takes a lot.”
The Johnnies’ conditioning has been the team’s biggest strength, and Ejiofor’s high motor skills have proven to be the core of the team.
Against Seton Hall and No. 20 Marquette, Ejiofor logged two 37 minute performances en route to continuing St. John’s six game win streak to end the regular season.
Ejiofor’s eighth double-double of the season came against the Pirates, where he posted 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Big East regular season clinching victory.
His presence in the paint has allowed for the aggressive RJ Luis Jr. or patient Kadary Richmond to shoot as many shots as they want, because Ejiofor is there for the offensive rebound. His game leading six offensive rebounds turned into 12 second chance points for the Johnnies, an area in which they dominated Seton Hall.
This effort was crucial in raising a Big East title against the Pirates, but the final game of the season in Milwaukee became his most memorable performance in an already unforgettable season.
Regulation wasn’t enough to determine a winner between the Big East’s two best teams as the second half ended in a 75-75 deadlock.
Ejiofor’s 15-point double-double was crucial in sending the game into overtime but his 17th point was enough to end the game. Stalled at 84-84, Luis missed a three-pointer with under 10 seconds left but Simeon Wilcher stole the offensive rebound away from the Golden Eagles, giving St. John’s a second chance at victory as he handed the ball to Ejiofor.
He quickly hoisted up a hook shot and the ball perfectly fell through the net as the buzzer sounded, stealing a game from Marquette in dramatic fashion.
“Our entire thing is to do whatever it takes to win,” Ejiofor said after his heroics in the final second, but he praised his teammates for setting him up for success. “Kadary [Richmond] made a great play to tip the ball out and Simeon [Wilcher] was able to find me for the last shot.”
One day after his buzzer-beating shot silenced Marquette, Ejiofor was selected as a member of the All-Big East First Team and named the Most Improved Player in the conference.
Ejiofor has shown himself to be a true leader for the Red Storm on the court, with Pitino and his fellow teammates celebrating his leadership all season.
“That’s our captain. He keeps us going, the man in the middle,” Aaron Scott said earlier this season when asked about Ejiofor’s improvement and leadership. “So, we just all listen to him and we didn’t get down. We just kept going.”
The Texas native and former Kansas Jayhawk has journeyed far to earn his flowers as one of the best players in the Big East and a true leader for a top team in the country.
Ejiofor and St. John’s road to March Madness begins against Butler at 12 p.m. in the second round of the Big East Tournament on March 12 at Madison Square Garden.
