St. John’s Star **Ejiofor** Fuels Championship Hopes with Elite Transfer Class
Red Storm Veteran Bullish on Newcomers’ Potential Under Pitino’s System
Returning for his final collegiate season, **Zuby Ejiofor** is confident that the St. John’s Red Storm are poised for a deep NCAA Tournament run, thanks to a revamped roster and a seasoned understanding of coach **Rick Pitino**’s demanding system.
Building a Championship Contender
After a sophomore transfer from Kansas, **Ejiofor** embraced his role off the bench before emerging as a vital on-court leader last season. His impressive growth earned him a co-captaincy and the Big East’s Most Improved Player award, guiding St. John’s to its best men’s basketball performance this century. Despite his contributions, the Red Storm’s tournament journey ended prematurely against Arkansas.
To prevent a similar outcome, **Pitino** orchestrated arguably the nation’s top transfer class this offseason. Following a month of summer workouts, **Ejiofor** believes these new additions are well-equipped to thrive under the intense pressure of playing for **Pitino**. “There’s always an adjustment period, but we’ve been playing long enough that guys know exactly what they bring to this team,” **Ejiofor** told reporters during a St. John’s apparel partnership event. “We’ve been meshing pretty well so far, and I’m really excited to see how we’re going to be.”
Frontcourt Powerhouse and Sharpshooting Support
The arrival of Providence forward **Bryce Hopkins** is expected to create a formidable frontcourt pairing with **Ejiofor**. Despite a career hampered by injuries, including an ACL tear, **Hopkins** earned First Team All-Big East honors in his last fully healthy season in 2023. **Ejiofor** anticipates **Hopkins**’ physicality and scoring ability will significantly ease his own responsibilities in the post. “We know what [**Bryce**] accomplished in his sophomore year before the injuries,” **Ejiofor** stated. “He’s a big piece in what we’re trying to build, and he’s going to be a tremendous help with me down there.”
Addressing last season’s shooting deficiencies, **Pitino** also secured commitments from **Oziyah Sellers** (Stanford) and **Joson Sanon** (Arizona State), who posted impressive three-point percentages of 40.1% and 36.9%, respectively. ” [**Oziyah**] and [**Joson**] shoot at a really high clip, and they make me feel embarrassed in the numbers I put up in my player development sessions,” **Ejiofor** quipped.
New Talent Poised to Make an Impact
**Ejiofor** also voiced his enthusiasm for Idaho State transfer **Dylan Darling**’s point guard skills, predicting a smooth transition to the Big East. He lauded the toughness and intensity of Cincinnati transfer **Dillon Mitchell** and highlighted North Carolina transfer **Ian Jackson**’s dual-threat offensive capabilities and strong work ethic.
The ultimate success of this Red Storm squad will hinge on its collective commitment to daily improvement, **Pitino**-esque ferocity, and consistent 40-minute performances. Last season, St. John’s ranked 17th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, a testament to their commitment. This year, with added offensive firepower, the team aims to climb even higher. (KenPom, 2024).
Team Chemistry and Championship Aspirations
“It’s on me, **Sadiq [Ibine Ayo]**, some other coaches as well, to get the guys to understand what we’re trying to build here, and we set a pretty good precedent for years to come from last season,” **Ejiofor** remarked. “It takes all thirteen, fourteen, I don’t know how many guys we exactly have… but it takes everyone to do whatever it takes to win.”