The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of an impressive 2025-26 NBA season, opening their campaign with an 11-4 record. While the Lakers are focused on their ongoing NBA campaign, some analysts are already starting to look ahead to the 2026-27 season.
Earlier this week, ESPN NBA analyst Jeremy Woo released his 2026 NBA mock draft.
Woo provided analysis for each of his 30 first-round predictions. He has the Los Angeles Lakers picking from the No. 25 spot, selecting St. John’s senior power forward/center Zuby Ejiofor.
“Ejiofor has impressed with his all-out effort and flashes of improving skill, with his passing ability making him more dynamic than most undersized (6-9) energy bigs in this mold,” Woo wrote. “He also hit a pair of 3s in a breakout game against Alabama, and continuing to display some touch from range would be helpful in solidifying a first-round case. He appears in for an All-America type of campaign, and if things go that direction, playoff teams searching for immediate frontcourt help may consider him at the end of the first round.”
Ejiofor began his college basketball career as a highly-touted recruit for Bill Self’s Kansas Jayhawks in 2022-23. The Texas native transferred after his freshman campaign, joining Rick Pitino’s St. John’s program before the 2023-24 season.
Through the first three games of the 2025-26 college basketball season, Ejiofor is averaging 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. The 6-foot-9 senior had a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double in the Red Storm’s 103-96 loss to No. 15 Alabama on Nov. 8.
Ejiofor and the 2-1 Red Storm will face off against the Bucknell Bison in their next college basketball matchup on Thursday night. The Lakers will look to continue their impressive NBA campaign in a matchup against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
