The Los Angeles Lakers are about to begin what could turn out to be a very consequential offseason. They’re projected to have tens of millions of dollars of salary cap space, as well as two future first-round draft picks to offer in a trade, and those resources could allow them to start to truly build a championship-caliber team around Luka Doncic.
Los Angeles will also have the No. 25 pick in this year’s draft. They have been starting to work out prospects in this year’s draft class, including Zuby Ejiofor, a power forward from St. John’s University.
Ejiofor spent four years in the NCAA, and he transferred to St. John’s University after spending his freshman year at the University of Kansas. During his first two years of college basketball, he didn’t play much, but he blossomed as a junior. Over the last two years, he averaged 15.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, one steal and 1.8 blocks a game while shooting 55.5% from the field.
The 6-foot-8, 245-pound frontcourt player is known as a strong and energetic defender, and he’s coming off a season in which he won both the Big East Defensive Player of the Year and Big East Player of the Year awards. His reported 7-foot-1 wingspan will help him at the next level, and he has the potential to become a switchable defender in the NBA.
Ejiofor isn’t a true scoring threat, but he could become a bit of a supplementary scorer. However, he shot just 27.7% from 3-point range during his time in the NCAA, and most of his scoring comes in the paint. He can run the floor well and finish in transition, and he can finish well in the paint in halfcourt settings when set up by teammates.
The 22-year-old has solid athleticism, and there is some thinking that he could become an adequate outside shooter if he puts in the work. He has improved as a passer, to the point where he went from 1.6 assists a game last season to 3.5 assists a game this season, so he could also have the potential to be a connective passer.
Ejiofor is projected to be a second-round draft pick, although there is a chance he goes undrafted.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: 2026 Lakers draft prospects: Zuby Ejiofor
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
