After picking up University of Houston guard Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night, the Atlanta Hawks turned around a bit later and added another talented piece at No. 23 overall.
The Hawks went with St. John's University's Zuby Ejiofor with their second selection of the night, giving them another exciting addition to bring into the fold.
Ejiofor, a four-year player at the collegiate level, came into his own in his final two seasons at St. John's. After a quiet freshman season at the University of Kansas and a modest sophomore season after transferring to St. John's, he flipped a switch as a junior and senior.
In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 14.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and in the 2025-26 season, he averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
The big man was named the Big East Player of the Year as a senior, a major honor as he played his way into being selected in the first round of the draft.
Ejiofor is a nice cherry on top for the Hawks with regard to how their first round went. With their first selection, they were able to add a promising guard prospect in Flemings, who should be able to make an impact.
Flemings spent just one season at the collegiate level, and he made the most of it, earning All-American honors with Houston. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.
There was talk of the Hawks potentially being active on the trade front during the first day of the draft, but Atlanta ultimately didn't make a move on Tuesday, instead keeping its full arsenal of picks.
It's technically still possible for the Hawks to make a trade in this draft -- they still own the No. 57 overall selection, so they could move that pick or perhaps try to acquire another draft choice -- but the window for the team to make a headline-grabbing deal in this draft might've come and gone on Tuesday.
That isn't a bad thing for anyone who is excited by the squad's selections. Flemings and Ejiofor could both bring a lot to the table for the Hawks, who are hoping to take a step forward this coming season after making the playoffs in 2026 but being eliminated in the first round.
Tuesday was an exciting day for Atlanta's future, and the franchise isn't done yet.
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