Mavericks Schedule Pre-Draft Workout With Big East Player of the Year

The Dallas Mavericks could have a late-round target on their board.

Mar 1, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

For 22 teams in the NBA, it is officially NBA Draft season. 8 teams are still competing in the playoffs, but the Dallas Mavericks aren't one of them, and their full attention is on how to build the best possible team around Cooper Flagg, starting with the NBA Draft on June 23rd and 24th.

This is a huge draft for the Mavs. They hold three picks: a lottery pick, with the lottery being held on May 10th, the 30th overall pick, and the 46th overall pick. This is the last draft that the Mavs control their pick until 2031, so this is their last real chance to add a blue-chip prospect alongside Flagg.

However, they also need to hit on their later picks if they want to be successful, which is something Masai Ujiri made a living out of with the Toronto Raptors. One possible target has emerged for the Mavs with their later picks, as they have scheduled a pre-draft workout with St. John's forward Suby Ejiofor, who was the Big East's Player of the Year this season, per David Berov.

Ejiaofor is a 6'9", 240-pound forward from Garland, Texas, so being drafted by the Mavs would be a homecoming for him. He started his career at Kansas, but he transferred to St. John's after his freshman year. He blossomed in his junior and senior seasons, averaging 15.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, and 2.8 stocks per game in 73 games.

He can't really stretch out to three, which makes it questionable how he'll translate to the NBA as an undersized big man. Most big boards have him in the late 30s, early 40s as a prospect, which would put him in range for either of the Mavs' later picks.

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; St. John's Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) looks on in the first half against the Northern Iowa Panthers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

How Would Zuby Ejiofor Fit With Mavericks?

What makes Zuby Ejiofor such an intriguing prospect is his defense. He excels on that end of the floor, even when he's switched out onto the perimeter. Having a 6'9" forward who can defend nearly every position would be massive for a Mavs team that wasn't as good on defense as they wanted to be last year.

If they end up going with Ejiofor, he would give some depth behind Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, who each have different injury concerns. It may also hint at their confidence in retaining Marvin Bagley III or Moussa Cisse. Ejiofor could come in right away and play quality minutes, which would be nice for a late-round pick.

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