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St. John’s Land Transfer Portal Gem To Replace Zuby Ejiofor & Bryce Hopkins in 2026-27
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- St. John’s Land Transfer Portal Gem To Replace Zuby Ejiofor & Bryce Hopkins in 2026-27
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On Wednesday, St. John's landed a high-upside player in the transfer portal who can help fill the void left by two of last season's very best players, Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins.
The Red Storm took another nice step forward in year three for head coach Rick Pitino . They finished with a 30-7 record, beat UConn twice, including in the Big East Tournament Final. They also reached the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament , suffering a hard-fought loss to one-seed Duke .
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A major reason for the success they had in 2025-26 was their frontcourt duo of Big East Player of the Year Ejiofor and Hopkins. They were the team's top two scorers and among their top four players in rebounds, assists, and steals last season. However, both moved on to the NBA in June. Leaving a big void for St. John's to fill before the new season.
Well, they made a notable move to help do that on Wednesday when the program announced the acquisition of Indiana forward Reed Bailey in the transfer portal.
"Reed brings great experience," Pitino said in a statement. "He is someone who has played at a high level and has seen it all. He really understands how to play the game. He has good positional size and fits perfectly in our motion offense."
What Reed Bailey brings to St. John's in 2026-27
Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Reed Bailey (1) and guard Jasai Miles (0) celebrate on the bench after defeating the UCLA Bruins in double overtime at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
At first glance, the fifth-year senior's stats from last season don't jump off the page. In a reserve role for the Hoosiers, he posted 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and one assist in just over 19 minutes a night.
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However, his third season at his previous school, Davidson , offers reason for optimism. In 2024-25, he was not only the A-10's Most Improved Player, but he also earned All-Conference honors as he posted 18.8 points, 6.1 boards, and 3.8 assists in just over 33 minutes. He also shot an outstanding 42% from three that year.
While the 6-foot-11 forward won't be as big a force on defense, he could be a big-time player in Pitino's offense in 2026-27.
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