Zuby Ejiofor makes history with Big East Player of the Year honors | amNewYork

Mar 6, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; St. John’s Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) looks on during the first half against the Seton Hall Pirates at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

St. John’s center Zuby Ejiofor has won Big East Player of the Year honors, putting him in an echelon all his own in the Red Storm record books. 

Ejiofor becomes the first player in program history to win conference player of the year and defensive player of the year honors, which he secured on Tuesday in the lead-up to the Big East Tournament.

“This one right here is really special. I remember being here in this room to celebrate [RJ Luis last year],” Ejiofor said at the start of his speech. “… I’ve gone through adversity. I’ve been through ups and downs every day. I didn’t do this by myself, but if you have a solid foundation of friends and family behind you, you can overcome anything.”

On the court, Ejiofor leads his team in points (16.0), rebounds (7.1), assists (3.5), and blocks (2.0) per game. His top performances came in the final stretch of conference play, in which he recorded a triple-double against Villanova and scored more than 20 in his next two appearances. 

His contributions aided the Red Storm in winning their second consecutive Big East regular season title, something they haven’t accomplished in 40 years.

But Ejiofor’s rise to stardom didn’t kick off until he made his way to Queens. 

He began his college career at Kansas, but never received much playing time. The Red Storm presented itself as a probable fit with head coach Rick Pitino looking for young talent to round out his first roster at St. John’s.

“He changed my life a lot,” Ejiofor said. “He pushed me and challenged me in so many different ways. I was never a talkative person before coach Pitino, but being under him, you get to come out of your shell. He’s been able to change my perspective on life. Bringing three championships to New York, there’s more work to be done.”

A year later, everything began to fall into place in what was a historic season for the Johnnies. Ejiofor moved into the starting lineup and made an immediate impact with his strength, size, and athleticism. 

He put his name on most rival schools’ radar when he made game-winning shots in tight wins over Providence and Marquette. Even when his team couldn’t find success in a losing effort against Arkansas, Ejiofor managed to keep his team afloat with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

“When I first came [to St. John’s], I came in as a young guy always confused by the bright lights of MSG, New York City, and always fixated on doing everything right,” he said. “I made a lot of mistakes early on, and I was able to play through it all and persevere.”

With the Big East Player of the Year in his possession, Ejiofor will look to help St. John’s win a second straight conference tournament, something that they have yet to do in program history. The Red Storm holds the tournament’s No. 1 seed and will face the winner of Providence and Butler’s first-round matchup on Thursday.

For more on Zuby Ejiofor and St. John’s, visit AMNY.com