Amid ongoing trade speculation, free agency rumors, and a front office reshuffle, the Los Angeles Lakers still have an NBA Draft to navigate this offseason.
Los Angeles currently holds the No. 25 overall pick and could either package the selection in a larger trade or use it to take a swing on a young prospect with long-term upside.
General manager Rob Pelinka recently emphasized the importance of player development moving forward, and the Lakers appear to be doing extensive homework ahead of the draft.
Lakers Evaluating Frontcourt Prospects Ahead of NBA Draft
According to HoopsHype, the Lakers’ pre-draft workout shortlist includes St. John’s big man Zuby Ejiofor, UConn wing Alex Karaban, and Cincinnati forward Baba Miller.
The timing of those workouts remains unclear, although OG6 Sports Management recently announced that Villanova forward Duke Brennan completed a workout with the Lakers on Tuesday.
With the workout list heavily focused on frontcourt players, it appears Los Angeles is actively exploring long-term solutions in the paint following Deandre Ayton’s inconsistent season.
Ejiofor, in particular, has emerged as one of the more intriguing prospects after significantly boosting his draft stock during his senior year at St. John’s.
As the Red Storm developed into one of the nation’s top teams, Ejiofor played a central role in their success and collected several major honors, including 2026 Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
He also earned First-Team All-Big East recognition for a second consecutive season, made the All-Defensive Team, and was named Tournament MVP as St. John’s captured back-to-back conference titles.
Ejiofor was instrumental in helping lead St. John’s to a historic Sweet 16 run, posting 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block in a loss to Duke.
Zuby Ejiofor Emerging as Intriguing LA Draft Fit
Despite already completing four collegiate seasons, Ejiofor is still only 22 years old and offers a blend of NBA-ready physicality alongside long-term developmental upside.
He profiles as a high-energy, physical rim-running big who could fit naturally alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves while gradually expanding his offensive role.
Although slightly undersized for a traditional big man at 6-foot-9, Ejiofor’s relentless motor, rebounding, and toughness continue to stand out to scouts.
Karaban, meanwhile, enters the draft process with one of the most accomplished résumés in college basketball.
The UConn forward played a major role on consecutive national championship teams in 2023 and 2024 and is widely viewed around the league as a dependable “winning player.”
At 6-foot-8, Karaban brings positional versatility, but his perimeter shooting remains his standout trait.
Across 151 career games at UConn, he knocked down 292 three-pointers while shooting 37.4% from deep, reinforcing his reputation as a reliable floor spacer.
Miller also appears firmly on the Lakers’ radar after completing his senior season at Cincinnati. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo recently projected the 6-foot-11 Spanish forward as the No. 41 overall pick in the draft.
Full list of reported Lakers pre-draft workouts (via HoopsHype):
- Zuby Ejiofor (PF, St. John’s)
- Alex Karaban (SF, UConn)
- Baba Miller (PF, Cincinnati)
- Jaden Henley (SF, Grand Canyon)
- Rafael Castro (C, George Washington)
- Duke Brennan (C, Villanova)
- Keba Keita (C, BYU)
- Malachi Moreno (C, Kentucky)
- Marquel Sutton (PF, LSU)
- Mohamed Wague (C, Oklahoma)
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