The Atlanta Hawks got more than just a 6-foot-9 forward with a 7-foot-2 wingspan at No. 23. They got a kid who couldn’t hold it together when his name was called, and that might matter more than some scouts realize.
Zuby Ejiofor’s reaction to being picked by the Hawks on Tuesday night spread fast. Former St. John’s teammate Vince Iwuchukwu caught the whole thing on video, and it’s the kind of clip that makes you forget the business side of the draft for a second. Ejiofor sat there, took the call, and just let the emotion hit him. No act. No rehearsed smile. Just years of work catching up in real time.
The Road to Atlanta Wasn’t a Straight Line
Ejiofor started his college career at Kansas, where he played 22 games as a freshman and averaged barely 4 minutes a night. He transferred to St. John’s and turned himself into something else entirely under Rick Pitino. By his senior year, he was Big East Player of the Year, a Consensus All-American, and one of the most complete frontcourt players in the country.
He averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.1 blocks last season. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. His motor is the kind of thing coaches covet, and his defensive versatility made him a first-round lock even before the postseason run.
Why the Hawks Grabbed Him
Atlanta needed depth and toughness up front, and Ejiofor brings both. He’s built to play through contact, switches well for his size, and has enough offensive feel to play off the Hawks’ guards. The 7-foot-2 wingspan helps too. He projects as a guy who can guard multiple positions and clean up misses on both ends.
But the emotional piece matters more than usual here. Draft night is full of calculated decisions and front-office spin. Seeing a player genuinely overwhelmed by the moment cuts through that noise. It gives Atlanta fans a guy they can root for on a human level before he ever checks into a game.
Ending a Long Drought for St. John’s
Ejiofor is also the first St. John’s player drafted since 2015 and the program’s first first-round pick since 2012. That means something, especially to a fan base that’s watched the program claw its way back under Pitino. The Johnnies haven’t had a lot of NBA draft nights to celebrate in the last decade, and Ejiofor gave them one.
For the Hawks, the pick addresses a real need. But the lasting image from Tuesday won’t be a scouting report or a stat sheet. It’ll be the clip of a 22-year-old kid from the Bronx sitting there, hearing his name, and letting everything out.
That’s how you build a connection with a fan base before you ever step on the floor.
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