Zuby Ejiofor’s big regular season is being recognized by the Big East coaches.
First, the affable forward with the nonstop motor was named to the conference’s first team, and Monday he was picked as the league’s Most Improved Player.
The honor was a given, after the 6-foot-9 junior went from Joel Soriano’s backup to one of the best big men in the country.
Ejiofor led St. John’s to its best regular season in 25 years and first outright Big East title since 1985.
The nation’s leading offensive rebounder at 4.3 boards per game, he is averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
The fan favorite has also hit the two biggest shots of this magical season, buzzer-beaters to beat Providence and Marquette on the road.
He’s also the backbone to the Johnnies’ third-ranked defense in terms of efficiency.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST BIG EAST STANDINGS AND ST. JOHN’S STATS
A four-star recruit out of Texas, Ejiofor started his career at Kansas.
After one season of limited playing time, he entered the transfer portal and picked St. John’s over Villanova, TCU and San Diego State.
He has blossomed in Queens under Rick Pitino.
St. John’s is a different team when Ejiofor is on the court.
It is outscoring the opposition by 21 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor compared to when he is on the bench, according to the analytics website EvanMiya.com.
More awards for St. John’s could be on the way.
Pitino is expected to be named the Big East Coach of the Year on Wednesday, while RJ Luis is a strong contender to be St. John’s first Player of the Year since Walter Berry in 1986.