Spurs can repair glaring postseason problem with sneaky draft sleeper

The Spurs' biggest task this summer is to cultivate a roster that maintains their status as contenders next season. They have the 20th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and there have been a lot of names in circulation. Zuby Ejiofor from St. John's is a great option at that spot. He can help San Antonio add to their depth on the interior.

The Spurs struggled to maintain a dominant defensive attack on the inside when Victor Wembanyama was subbed out of games. You could literally see the night-and-day difference between the minutes with him on the floor and those with him off the floor. Opposing teams felt much more comfortable attacking the rim in his absence.

Getting a solid backup big through the draft, free agency, or trade market was non-negotiable this summer. Zuby Ejiofor could be a perfect addition for them with his physicality and interior presence, helping the Spurs return to dominance in the West.

Ejiofor upgrades the Spurs' defensive attack around Wemby

Even though Zuby is a bit undersized compared to San Antonio's other big men, he has great length, boasting a 7'1" wingspan. This makes it easy for him to compete on the interior, disrupting opponents' shots at the basket. He averaged 2.1 blocks per game in his senior year, ranking second in the Big East in that category.

Even though he's not as tall as Luke Kornet, he is a bit more physical, which should discourage guards from challenging him at the basket. Opponents shouldn't hope for free layups in non-Wemby minutes if the Spurs add Ejiofor to their roster, as he's one of the most daunting paint presences in this class.

Even better, Zuby can step out and switch to smaller, quicker players. Trying to hunt mismatches is already tough when playing against the Spurs, and he can make things even more difficult here. He moves well and can use his length to disrupt passing and driving angles.

Ejiofor would be the perfect Plan B if the Spurs can't land Morez Johnson Jr.

The ultimate wishlist player for San Antonio in this year's draft should be Morez Johnson Jr. out of Michigan. He's a mobile, athletic power forward who provides defensive versatility, strong finishing, and he co-exists well with other bigs. Unfortunately, seeing him fall at the 20th spot for San Antonio seems like a long shot at this point.

That's why Zuby is perfect. He is very similar to Johnson with his two-way impact. Mitch Johnson can essentially deploy him to handle the same duties, giving the Spurs strong interior play when Wemby's not in the game. It's much easier to imagine him being available at 20 for San Antonio, allowing them to feel a big need for their roster.

In this way, Ejiofor is a bit of a sleeper. The Spurs can count on getting the same value from him as they would get from Johnson, who many believe will get selected in the lottery.

Of course, Zuby isn't perfect. Offensively, he has some ways to go, specifically with his scoring, but there's good reason to believe that, if drafted by them, he can excel in the role the Spurs need him to play.

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