Zach Edey was drafted Number nine overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies. He was a top prospect from Purdue who now aims to bring his size and dominance to Memphis.
Surprisingly. Zach started basketball in his sophomore year of high school with the Northern Kings. He then moved to the US to join IMG Academy where he joined their second-tier roster. After improving on both ends of the floor, Edey went up to play for the school’s main team. After receiving multiple offers from legitimate basketball colleges, Edey ultimately decided to commit to Purdue.
In his Freshman year, Zach was already marked as the tallest BIG 10 player in history at 7’4. Edey became a reliable center during his first year, averaging 8.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. In one particular game of the season, Edey went off finishing with a season-high 21 points and seven rebounds despite not even starting. This performance turned heads regarding Edey’s potential for the program.
Eventually, Edey earned the starting role and dominated his way to excellence. He received Big Ten Player of the Week six times and was named BIG Ten Player of the Year all in his junior year. In his senior year, Edey broke school and conference records, among them being the sixth player in Big Ten history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds. Overall, Edey solidified himself as one of the best players in Purdue history, making a lasting impact on the program.
Now a Grizzley, Edey can better the playoff durability for Memphis. He is a low-post warrior who can score some extra points in the paint for Memphis as well as become a functional big man for pick and rolls alongside superstar Ja Morant. Memphis can also utilize him to grab much-needed rebounds, to secure more possessions and second-chance points. Overall, with all Edey has to offer for Memphis, he will become a possible starter of the roster and a valuable benefactor offensively and defensively.
Edey’s biggest strength that he’ll take advantage of with the Grizzlies is his size. His size is his biggest weapon as well as a tool to leverage his offensive capabilities. Towering at 7 ‘4, Edey is tied with Wemby as the tallest player in the NBA. As a result, Edey will be a force to be reckoned with in the paint and a dominant scorer within the post. When doubled team, he is capable of making the right decision by using his strength to score or pass it out to a teammate. When scoring, he has a soft touch and an effective hook that gets the job done.
Although Edey does use his size defensively, his perimeter opposition can improve. When roaming outside the paint, Edey can lose defensive impact and let others pass by him to the rim. Also, Edey gets most of his points in the paint, limiting his range of scoring. To expand his skill set, he needs to work on his jumper to become a better threat on offense. Also, Edey should become less of a predictable scorer by utilizing a vast array of methods on how he scores in the paint
Overall, Memphis is privileged to gain a center like Zach Edey. He has the chance to become an offensive and defensive anchor for the team as well as another effective big man next to Jaren Jackson Jr. As Edey hopes to dominate as a Grizzley as he did as a Boilermaker, he also hopes to bring a lasting influence towards Memphis as he did at Purdue. With the young center being 7 ‘4, it’s safe to say that it is within reach.
