Zuby Ejiofor on Rick Pitino, St. John’s Rise & His Citi Field First Pitch!

In this episode of Amazin’ Conversations with Jay Horwitz, St. John’s standout Zuby Ejiofor joins Jay to talk about the program’s meteoric rise under Hall of Famer Rick Pitino, the energy of playing at Madison Square Garden, and what it meant to throw out the first pitch at Citi Field. Zuby opens up about his relationship with Coach Pitino, how he’s grown into a leader on and off the court, and why this 2025 Red Storm team is ready to make noise in the Big East and beyond. They also discuss the MSG home-court atmosphere, St. John’s return to national prominence, and Zuby’s viral Tonight Show appearance alongside his teammates. 💥 Whether you’re a Mets fan, a St. John’s alum, or just love New York sports, this crossover between Queens legends is one you don’t want to miss. 🕒 Timestamps 00:00 – Intro / Jay welcomes Zuby Ejiofor 00:25 – What makes Rick Pitino a Hall of Fame coach 01:20 – Zuby on player development, motivation, and mentorship 02:00 – Throwing out the first pitch at Citi Field 02:35 – The nerves, the advice, and why “the ball couldn’t bounce” 03:20 – Reaction to 50 Cent’s infamous first pitch 03:45 – Looking ahead: a top-5 ranked season and brutal non-conference schedule 04:30 – MSG crowds and the New York home-court advantage 05:10 – Jay shares memories of St. John’s in the ’80s (Chris Mullin, Terrence) 05:35 – Zuby breaks down the new frontcourt with Bryce Hopkins and Reuben Prey 06:15 – On leadership, improvement, and earning Coach Pitino’s trust 07:10 – The work ethic that powered his breakout season 07:50 – Jay asks about new teammates and chemistry 08:20 – Dylan Mitchell’s athleticism and early impact 09:00 – Handling adversity: missed free throws and fan support in the Bahamas 10:15 – Learning from losses and growing stronger for 2025 10:45 – Balancing hype, expectations, and media attention in NYC 11:20 – The Tonight Show appearance and embracing the spotlight 12:05 – Upcoming season matchups: Michigan, Kansas State, Quinnipiac 12:35 – Zuby promises a return to Citi Field if they win the Big East 13:00 – Jay wraps up / “Go Johnnies!” / Check out http://m.mlb.com/video for our full archive of videos, and subscribe on YouTube for the best, exclusive MLB content:    / mlb   About MLB.com: Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's internet operations into an independent technology company. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) was formed and charged with developing, building and managing the most comprehensive baseball experience available on the internet. In August 2002, MLB.com streamed the first-ever live, full length MLB game when the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees faced off at Yankee Stadium. Since that time, millions of baseball fans around the world have subscribed to MLB.TV, the live video streaming product that airs every game in HD to nearly 400 different devices. MLB.com also provides an array of mobile apps for fans to choose from, including At Bat, the highest-grossing iOS sports app of all-time. MLB.com features a stable of club beat reporters and award-winning national columnists, the largest contingent of baseball reporters under one roof, who deliver over 100 original articles every day. MLB.com also offers extensive historical information and footage, online ticket sales, official baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles and fantasy games. Major League Baseball consists of 30 teams split between the American and National Leagues. The American League, originally founded in 1901, consists of the following teams: Baltimore Orioles; Boston Red Sox; Chicago White Sox; Cleveland Indians; Detroit Tigers; Houston Astros; Kansas City Royals; Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; Minnesota Twins; New York Yankees; Oakland Athletics; Seattle Mariners; Tampa Bay Rays; Texas Rangers; and Toronto Blue Jays. The National League, originally founded in 1876, consists of the following teams: Arizona Diamondbacks; Atlanta Braves; Chicago Cubs; Cincinnati Reds; Colorado Rockies; Los Angeles Dodgers; Miami Marlins; Milwaukee Brewers; New York Mets; Philadelphia Phillies; Pittsburgh Pirates; San Diego Padres; San Francisco Giants; St. Louis Cardinals; and Washington Nationals. Visit MLB.com: http://mlb.mlb.com Subscribe to MLB.TV: mlb.tv Download MLB.com At Bat: http://mlb.mlb.com/mobile/atbat Get tickets: http://mlb.mlb.com/tickets Official MLB Merchandise: http://mlb.mlb.com/shop Join the conversation! Twitter:   / mlb   Facebook:   / mlb   Instagram:   / mlb   Google+: https://plus.google.com/+MLB Tumblr: http://drawntomlb.com/ Pinterest:   / mlbam   Category Sports