Kansas Coach Bill Self Defends St. John's Star Zuby Ejiofor as All-American After Snub

Self praises Ejiofor's well-rounded game as Johnnies forward was left off AP All-American teams

Mar. 20, 2026 at 5:48am

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Kansas coach Bill Self raved about St. John's forward Zuby Ejiofor, calling him one of the best players in the country despite Ejiofor being left off the Associated Press' All-American teams. Self praised Ejiofor's complete skill set and development under coach Rick Pitino at St. John's, where Ejiofor was named the Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year this season.

Why it matters

Ejiofor's exclusion from the AP All-American teams has sparked debate about the selection process and whether the most deserving players are being recognized. Self's strong endorsement of Ejiofor highlights the disconnect between the AP's choices and the views of other prominent coaches who have seen Ejiofor's dominant play firsthand.

The details

Ejiofor spent one year at Kansas before transferring to St. John's, where he has blossomed into one of the top big men in college basketball. This season, he led the 10th-ranked Johnnies in scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocked shots. Pitino praised Ejiofor's high character and joked that he has "10 million people kissing his ass." Self said Ejiofor is "playing at as high a level as anybody" and that he would not be surprised to face the Johnnies in the NCAA Tournament.

  • Ejiofor spent one year at Kansas before transferring to St. John's.
  • This season, Ejiofor was named the Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

The players

Zuby Ejiofor

A forward for the St. John's Red Storm who was left off the Associated Press' All-American teams despite being one of the top players in the country this season.

Bill Self

The head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, who praised Ejiofor's well-rounded game and said he would not be surprised to face the St. John's star in the NCAA Tournament.

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's Red Storm, who has helped Ejiofor develop into a dominant player and praised his high character.

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What they’re saying

“I love Zuby. But not surprised at all that he's a pro. Not surprised at all that he's done extremely well. Rick [Pitino] was obviously a great fit for him.”

— Bill Self, Head Coach, Kansas Jayhawks

“The AP writers don't always get it right. But he's one of the top players. You all know it. I don't have to tell you that. But, like I said, he's gotten so much love. There's nobody going to replace him in my mind as a head coach.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's Red Storm

What’s next

If both Kansas and St. John's win their opening-round NCAA Tournament games, they could face each other in the second round, setting up a matchup between Ejiofor and Self's Jayhawks.

The takeaway

Ejiofor's exclusion from the AP All-American teams has sparked debate about the selection process, with coaches like Bill Self arguing that the most deserving players are not always recognized. Ejiofor's dominant play and development under Rick Pitino at St. John's has made him one of the top big men in college basketball, despite the AP's oversight.