It was an ordinary middle-school game where a young Ejiofor was spotted by a coach who, after the game, asked Zuby to play Center for his team. Fast forward 7 years, Zuby now describes that same man as his mentor and a second father. Zuby also admits that he never took basketball seriously until that conversation with Dr. Andy Philachack. While he’s a born American, he lived in Nigeria with his parents during his early childhood and was already in 6th grade by the time he returned to the USA.

What he learned from Philachack, all that carried him through high school, a freshman year at Kansas where minutes were scarce, and ultimately to St. John’s, where he found a coach in Rick Pitino who could bring out the best in him. “Every coach wants to have a player like [Zuby],” Pitino said after Ejiofor’s historic night at MSG. “Selfless, and he just cares about the team. You get blessed in coaching him.”

Now, as Ejiofor continues his breakout season at St. John’s, his rising star status is also making waves off the court. With Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals reshaping the landscape of college athletics, Ejiofor’s marketability is growing.

What are Zuby Ejiofor’s’ NIL deals as of 2025? 

The only documented NIL partnership, involving Zuby Ejiofor, dates back to January 31, 2023, when Ejiofor collaborated with MiniJerzeys, a company producing miniature jerseys, facilitated by the University of Kansas collective. Since his transfer to St. John’s University, there have been no publicly reported NIL agreements involving Ejiofor.

The rather thin $4 Million NIL budget of the St. John’s Basketball program restricts the players. Coach Rick Pitino, too, openly admitted his star player is underpaid after they won the Big East Tournament.

Which high school did Zuby Ejiofor attend? 

Zuby attended Garland High School, where he made a name for himself in 2020-21, averaging 21 Points & 13 Rebounds over the course of his junior year. He further solidified his status as a promising prospect in his senior year by boosting his defensive numbers as well. In his senior year, he averaged 21.7 Points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, and 1.9 steals per game leading his team to a 26-2 record in the district regular season, earning him the laurels of a 75th ranking on the ESPN100 list, Class of 2022. His experience in AAU came through the Houston Hoops and one particularly dominant 16 Points & 16 Rebounds performance made recruiters further believe his game could translate to the big stages.

He was considered a 4-star recruit coming out of High School with an offer list of about a dozen schools, with Arkansas and TCU being the most eager to add Zuby to their ranks. He chose the Kansas Jayhawks, where he had an abysmal first season averaging merely 1.2 points and 1.7 rebounds playing 5.1 minutes in 26 games. It was after this season that his mentor and guardian Andy Philacheck suggested he transfer to St. John’s and develop under Rick Pitino, a piece of advice Zuby must have surely been grateful for when he celebrated the Big East Tournament.

What is Zuby Ejiofor’s net worth and salary?

Zuby Ejiofor’s net worth has not been disclosed publicly, as is the case with most college athletes. He doesn’t have a salary as the NCAA still forbids schools from paying their athletes. Zuby has regained his spot amongst the elite this season through impressive performances and if it is a sign of the things to come, his net worth is sure to rocket in the future.