St. John's advanced to its first Sweet 16 in 27 years thanks to the play of Zuby Ejiofor. Here's why Sacramento must take a look.
The Sacramento Kings likely missed the epic buzzer beater that ended the Kansas versus St. John's Sunday matchup. Obviously for good reason as the Kings were beating the Brooklyn Nets.
Yet there's a reason why Sacramento should go back and watch that game. And not because of Dylan Darling hitting his clutch layup as time ran out.
The Red Storm features an intriguing NBA Draft prospect who played an integral role in leading the upset over the Jayhawks. And increased his draft stock in the process.
Here's why it's time for general manager Scott Perry and even head coach Doug Christie to look closer at Zuby Ejiofor.
St. John's has versatile weapon in Ejiofor
In the two games Kings Roundtable was able to check out in March Madness, we locked in on the trust legendary head coach Rick Pitino has for Ejiofor.
The national title winner trusts his 6-foot-9 presence in a multitude of ways.
First is post scoring, with Ejiofor's 235-pound frame withstanding the punishment down low. But Ejiofor throws his body and weight around like a fullback pushing through the goal line for the touchdown. Ejiofor is the one dishing out the pain toward opposing front courts.
Next is Pitino allows Ejiofor to shoot from long range. This is a rare skill considering how Ejiofor is technically a center on the Red Storm roster. Yet he's one of the more reliable long range marksman on the Storm.
Finally, St. John's trusts Ejiofor to guard the team's best scorer. He switched off often against Kansas superstar Darryn Peterson, who many across the basketball universe believe will land No. 1 come June in the NBA Draft.
But Ejiofor's long arms and physical frame helped bottle Peterson inside Viejas Arena is San Diego. The presence of the junior forced Peterson to settle more for 3-pointers and free throws as his points. St. John's contained him to only four points in the paint.
How Ejiofor fits Kings
Sacramento must improve on defense moving forward. Even its top pick, regardless of where the Kings select, won't guarantee a defensive improvement overnight.
The first round should focus more on who can impact the franchise as a scorer. The second must pivot toward who brings a strong defensive skillset mixed with some reliable scoring.
Ejiofor presents late first round, early second round value as of now. Granted, he can return to St. John's for his senior season and see if he can boost his personal stock. But his defense against Peterson plus knack for scoring at least 18 a night should convince Perry to bring him in.
Join our KINGS ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected.