INDIANAPOLIS — Add another honor to Zuby Ejiofor’s memorable senior year.
The St. John’s star was named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award winner as the top center in the country on Saturday, beating out Graham Ike of Gonzaga, Flory Bidunga of Kansas, Alex Condon of Florida and Henri Veesaar of North Carolina.
The 6-foot-9 Ejiofor had a phenomenal final season at St. John’s, leading the Johnnies to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999 and guiding the Red Storm to an outright Big East regular season crown and Big East Tournament title.
“I’m truly honored and grateful to be recognized with the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award. To be associated with the legacy of Kareem is a symbol of excellence, leadership, and meaningful impact beyond the game is incredibly humbling,” Ejiofor, the first St. John’s player to be both the Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, told The Post. “This recognition motivates me to continue striving not only for success on the court, but to keep making a positive difference in the lives of others.”
Ejiofor is the first St. John’s player to win the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar award, which began in 2014-15.
He is also one of four finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.
Ejiofor was the lone high-major player in the country to lead his team in scoring (16.3), rebounds (7.3), assists (3.5) and blocked shots (2.1).
In six postseason games, he averaged 18 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and three blocks.
The high-character Garland, Texas native transferred to St. John’s after one season at Kansas, and was instrumental in the Johnnies winning 30 games in back-to-back seasons.
Ejiofor was the face of the St. John’s program the last two seasons, emerging as a leader that coach Rick Pitino inherently trusted.
On the night St. John’s clinched a regular season title, Fox cameras caught Ejiofor imploring his teammates to defend and rebound at the end of a timeout.
He sounded like a coach, capturing the attention of his teammates.
“You’re going to make me retire. I can’t live life without you,” Pitino joked to Ejiofor on Feb. 6, the night Ejiofor led St. John’s past rival Connecticut.
The two had a special bond.
Pitino has said it will take at least a few people to fill the void left by Ejiofor.
The star player won’t soon forget his coach, either.
“He really changed my life a lot,” Ejiofor said on the day he was named the Big East Player of the Year. “He pushed me, he challenged me in so many different ways. I was never really a talkative person before Coach Pitino, and being under him you get to come out of your shell. He’s been able to change my whole perspective, not only about basketball, but life in general.”
One more honor should be coming Ejiofor’s way.
He is expected to be named the Haggerty Award winner, given to the area’s top player, when it is announced on Apr. 23.
Last year’s winner was another Johnnie, RJ Luis.
Ejiofor is projected to get drafted anywhere from late in the first round to early in the second.
The last St. John’s player to hear his name called was Sir’Dominic Pointer (53rd overall by the Cavaliers) in 2015.
