The first major event of the offseason calendar, and the unofficial start of the new year begins with the NBA Draft. This is the immediate focus for all but three teams at this stage of the 2025-26 season. That includes the Los Angeles Lakers, who have already worked out several prospects.
Of the names known to have worked out for the Lakers, Zuby Ejiofor jumps out at fans immediately. The St John's senior should be capable of being a day one contributor for next year's rotation in Los Angeles. That is something the Lakers frontcourt needs mightily.
Ejiofor stands undersized for the center spot. At the NBA Draft combine, the 22-year-old measured in at about 6-foot-7 and a half without shoes. However, the soon-to-be pro big man makes up for it with a long 7-foot-2 wingspan. That 38-inch max vertical helps the shorter stature as well.
The most important thing Ejiofor should have nailed down is the fit. Similarly to someone like recently-discussed Flory Bidunga, the gifts that Ejiofor possesses line up well with what the Lakers would theoretically want from their frontcourt rotation supporting Luka Doncic. That should have fans highly intrigued of the open evaluation being done by Rob Pelinka and company.
Zuby Ejiofor answers the call of what Luka Doncic loves in a big man
Defensively is where Ejiofor shines. The 2.1 blocks in 30.0 minutes per game registered by the St. John's big man immediately stand out to anyone looking at the numbers. It goes beyond just the stats, though.
Ejiofor is a strong athlete, as indicated above via his combine performances. That allows him to move well on defense beyond just challenging opposing players at the rim.
This is a player who should project to raise the energy levels of all the guys around him with his activity. Whether it be on defense, on the glass, or otherwise, Ejiofor is the type of player who plays with a ton of physicality and should inject life into his teammates in the process.
Doncic should have a willing screen setter and pick-and-roll partner in him as well. Ejiofor even showed a willingness to put up some triples, shooting 30.5 percent on 1.6 attempts from beyond the arc. A 71.8 clip from the free throw line is a decent indicator that he might be capable of further extending his range, which would be a massive plus for him given the aforementioned size deficiency.
Hearing that the Lakers are looking closely at Ejiofor should be welcomed news for Lakers fans. It is yet another example of Los Angeles being all-in on what they need to do in the Doncic era as they look to surround him with talents that fit his playing style.
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