This 6’9” forward from Garland, Texas, was selected 23rd by the Atlanta Hawks and becomes the first St. John’s player to be drafted since Sir’Dominic Pointer in 2015 and the first St. John’s freshman to be chosen in the first round since Moe Harkless was selected 11th overall in 2012.
Ejiofor, who enrolled at Kansas as a four-star prospect, transferred to St. John’s, where he blossomed into a consensus first-team All-American.
In his final season, Ejiofor won the Big East Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a historic achievement for St. John’s, and the same honor that went to Emeka Okafor, the 2004 Player of the Year, when he was born.
Ejiofor averaged 16.3 points on 53.6 percent shooting, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game as a senior, leading St. John’s to two consecutive Big East regular-season and tournament titles and a 10th-ranked finish in the AP Poll.
Ejiofor becomes the 63rd player in the program’s history to be drafted and the 18th first-round pick in the program’s history. He played for Rick Pitino, the most successful coach in St. John’s history.
