Nuggets Might Have Found Perfect NBA Draft Target at Combine

The Denver Nuggets might not be able to land a top prospect with the No. 26 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but they can certainly find a potential difference-maker. With the NBA Draft combine this week, some prospects are seeing their stocks surge, and the Nuggets could land one of the biggest risers at pick No. 26.

St. John's Red Storm big man Zuby Ejiofor has been one of the most impressive players in the combine this week, and the Nuggets should have their eyes on him. According to HoopsHype, the Nuggets have already hosted Ejiofor for a workout, as we could ultimately see the All-American big man in a Denver uniform.

Why Ejiofor could be the perfect pick

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. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

While Ejiofor is a bit undersized, measuring in at 6'7.5" without shoes at the combine, he has certainly found ways to make up for it. The 22-year-old is one of the best two-way talents in the draft, and for a Nuggets team in desperate need of defensive help, he is a perfect option.

In his senior year, he averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game, making a huge difference on both ends of the court. If he were younger and taller, Ejiofor would be an undisputed lottery pick, and the Nuggets could get one of the steals of the draft if they take him at 26.

Among big men at the combine, Ejiofor had the best standing vertical leap, third-best max vertical leap, best shuttle run, fifth-best lane agility, and fifth-best three quarter sprint. The St. John's product dominated the physical parts of the combine, but he did not stop there.

St. John's Zuby Ejifor measured 6'7.5 barefoot and 245 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, with a 7'2 wingspan and 8'11 standing reach. pic.twitter.com/SxIye6MHUr
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 11, 2026

Ejiofor was equally impressive during the combine's shooting drills, showcasing a smooth stroke while knocking down 52.8% of attempts during the spot-up shooting drill, 56.7% of his attempts off the dribble, 48% of his attempts in the three-point star drill, and 80% of his free-throw attempts.

While this level of impressive shooting will not directly transfer to in-game NBA action, he has shown the two-way versatility that could be game-changing for the Nuggets.

Zuby Ejiofor’s name should be mentioned as one of the most impactful players of this draft cycle.

Only 1 of 3 players in the nation (Boozer & Lendeborg) to be T15 in both O-BPM + D-BPM — strong mix of tools, energy, scoring versatility + defense to be impactful at the NBA level. pic.twitter.com/Kb4tjUgt8p
— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) March 28, 2026

With his mix of size, strength, athleticism, scoring, defense, passing, and rebounding, Ejiofor is the ideal all-around forward the Nuggets can get at No. 26. While his impressive combine showing has raised his draft stock, the once-projected early second-rounder should still be available for when the Nuggets are on the clock.

Where he fits in Denver

This season, the Nuggets' forward depth was stretched thin, largely due to lengthy injury absences to Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson. Fortunately, two-way forward Spencer Jones ultimately stepped up enough to earn a standard deal, but they could obviously use some more help in that position.

Not to mention, head coach David Adelman showed that he likes to experiment with small-ball lineups. As an undersized big man, Ejiofor would be ideal as a small-ball five in Denver's bench unit, while versatile enough to play alongside a true center.

It is hard to find prospects at pick No. 26 who could make this much of an immediate impact, especially defensively, so Ejiofor could ultimately be the best pick possible for the Nuggets on June 23.

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