St. John's Star Zuby Ejiofor Faces Former Team Kansas in NCAA Tourney

Ejiofor looks to lead St. John's to victory over the school that he left four years ago.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 1:08pm

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Former Kansas Jayhawks player Zuby Ejiofor will face his old team in the NCAA Tournament, four years after transferring to St. John's University. Ejiofor, now the 2026 Big East Player of the Year, is seeking redemption against the Jayhawks, who he felt didn't believe in him during his freshman season.

Why it matters

This matchup pits Ejiofor, one of the best players in college basketball, against the school that he left after his freshman year. It's a chance for Ejiofor to prove that Kansas made a mistake in not giving him a bigger role, and for St. John's to knock off a perennial NCAA Tournament contender.

The details

Ejiofor was a 4-star recruit out of high school who played limited minutes as a freshman at Kansas in 2022-23. After the Jayhawks brought in transfer Hunter Dickinson, Ejiofor decided to leave the program and join St. John's, where he has blossomed into a star. Now in his senior season, Ejiofor is averaging 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 blocks per game for the Red Storm.

  • Ejiofor played his freshman season at Kansas in 2022-23.
  • Ejiofor transferred to St. John's in 2023.
  • Ejiofor is now a senior at St. John's and the 2026 Big East Player of the Year.

The players

Zuby Ejiofor

A senior forward for the St. John's Red Storm and the 2026 Big East Player of the Year, Ejiofor is seeking redemption against his former team, Kansas, in the NCAA Tournament.

Bill Self

The head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, who decided to bring in transfer Hunter Dickinson, leading to Ejiofor's decision to leave the program.

Hunter Dickinson

The transfer player that Kansas brought in, which led to Ejiofor's decision to leave the program.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's Red Storm, who brought Ejiofor to the program after he left Kansas.

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What they’re saying

“It was a crazy experience. I didn't want to leave. But when my dad has something on his mind, he acts on it. He knew I had to go elsewhere. He knows what's best for me. At the time, I didn't understand it. Now looking back on it, he made a great decision for me and my family.”

— Zuby Ejiofor

“He [was] pretty crystal clear on, he's going into the portal to recruit some guys that are able to come into the team and just create a successful season right away. He was brutally honest with me and alongside Ernest as well, so that's why I respect him a lot. He told me early on that he was going to recruit. Hunter ultimately made his decision. And then after that, my pops came down. We had the talk and it was a good conversation, but we were able to find ourselves in the portal.”

— Zuby Ejiofor

What’s next

The winner of the Kansas-St. John's matchup will advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Ejiofor's journey from a role player at Kansas to the Big East Player of the Year at St. John's shows the importance of finding the right fit in college basketball. His performance against his former team will be a chance to prove that Kansas made a mistake in not giving him a bigger opportunity.