NEW YORK – A total of five BIG EAST players were selected over the first 50 picks and two rounds of the 2026 NBA Draft. Three First Round selections and two in the second round complete the full slate of picks over the two days of selections in Brooklyn.
In the first round of the 2026 NBA held on Tuesday, June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., the BIG EAST had three players selected among the first 30 picks. During Wednesday's second round, two players heard their names called.
During Tuesday's second round, BIG EAST Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor of St. John's was selected 23rd overall by the Atlanta Hawks, while UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. was chosen with the 26th pick by the Denver Nuggets in a reported trade to the San Antonio Spurs. Three picks later, UConn's Alex Karaban was selected 29th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a reported trade to the Sacramento Kings.
With the selections of Ejiofor, Reed and Karaban, the BIG EAST has now had at least one first-round NBA Draft pick in 44 of the last 47 years.
A Consensus All-American and unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection, Ejiofor helped lead St. John's to back-to-back BIG EAST regular-season and tournament championships in 2024-25 and 2025-26. The standout forward earned BIG EAST Player of the Year honors in 2025-26 after averaging 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 blocks per game, establishing himself as one of the nation's premier frontcourt players. A cornerstone of Rick Pitino's resurgence in Queens, Ejiofor helped guide the Red Storm to consecutive conference titles and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
Reed, an All-BIG EAST First Team selection, led UConn to the 2026 NCAA National Championship Game and established himself as one of the nation's most dominant frontcourt players. During the Huskies' NCAA Tournament run, Reed delivered one of the most memorable performances in tournament history, posting 31 points and 27 rebounds in a first-round victory over Furman. The 30-point, 20-rebound effort made him just the second player since 2000 to record the feat in the NCAA Tournament, while his 27 rebounds were the most in a tournament game since 1968. The junior forward became the latest Husky to hear his name called in the first round and is expected to join former UConn star Stephon Castle with the San Antonio Spurs, the runner-up in the 2026 NBA Finals.
One of the most decorated players in college basketball history, Karaban capped a five-year career at UConn as the winningest player in program history with 126 victories. The veteran forward helped lead the Huskies to three NCAA Championship Game appearances and two national titles while appearing in 151 games and making a program-record 292 3-pointers. Karaban becomes the latest Husky to make the jump to the NBA, where he is expected to join the Sacramento Kings.
During Wednesday's second round, two St. John's players were selected. Dillon Mitchell was the 40th selection by the Boston Celtics. A 6-8 forward with explosive athleticism on both ends of the floor , Mitchell averaged 8.3 points on 55.9% shooting, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per contest. He logged four double-doubles and posted an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3-to-1, good enough for tops in the BIG EAST and 27th nationally. For his efforts, Mitchell earned spots on the All-BIG EAST Third Team, the BIG EAST All-Defensive Team, the MBWA All-Met Second Team, the NABC All-District Second Team and the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.
Bryce Hopkins was the 49th selection overall by Denver, becoming the 65th draft pick in St. John's Men's Basketball history and the 34th player to be drafted after being coached by Hall of Famer Rick Pitino. The Oak Park, Ill., native spent his final collegiate season in Queens, guiding the Red Storm to a second straight sweep of the BIG EAST Tournament and Regular Season Championships. Hopkins posted 26 double-digit scoring outings, five 20-plus point performances and three double-doubles. The veteran rose to the occasion during the postseason, reaching double figures in the final seven games of the season. The BIG EAST All-Tournament Team honoree averaged 15.0 points and 8.3 boards per game during the Red Storm's run to its fifth BIG EAST Tournament crown.
BIG EAST Players in 2026 NBA Draft
Round (Overall) Player Team
1 (23) Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's, F | Atlanta Hawks
1 (26) Tarris Reed Jr., UConn, F/C | Denver Nuggets (traded to San Antonio Spurs)
1 (29) Alex Karaban, UConn, F | Cleveland Cavaliers (traded to Sacramento Kings)
2 (40) Dillon Mitchell, St. John's F | Boston Celtics
2 (49) Bryce Hopkins, St. John's F/G | Denver Nuggets