2024 Prospect Spotlight: Zach Edey

[tbhawksfan1]

His soft touch and FT% lead me to think that he will be able to pop from inside 15' at a good rate. He already has a nice roll to the rim and hook shot

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[tbhawksfan1]

No idea why he isn't getting more mock draft love. I love what I see

[HMFFL]

Edey is good at exposing other players poor defense.

Sent from my SM-N975U using RealGM mobile app

[Jamaaliver]

Projected Lottery Pick?

Read on Twitter

[HMFFL]

Projected Lottery Pick?

Read on Twitter

Yes, he's deserving.

Alexandre Sarr will go top 5. The demand to have bigger and better is now. The 5 is back.

Sent from my SM-N975U using RealGM mobile app

[VanWest82]

How is he different from young Boban?

I can imagine him being effective in a drop scheme defense were he's positioned next to someone like Giannis with someone like Jrue at the POA. Otherwise?? idk. Which current NBA player does he move better than?

[Jamaaliver]

How is he different from young Boban?

I can imagine him being effective in a drop scheme defense were he's positioned next to someone like Giannis with someone like Jrue at the POA. Otherwise?? idk. Which current NBA player does he move better than?

Boban?

Not really a fair comparison. they're both 7'4". But Edey is much more agile than Boban. He's been miles more productive the last two seasons than Boban ever was -- even in the Euroleague.

Today. Right now -- Edey is at least as useful on an NBA court as Andre Drummond.
As an elite rebounder and above average rim protector.



Defensively, I'd say Edey moves comparably to Nikola Jokic. And it's taken years of conditioning and defensive drills for Joker to get this far as an anchor for a league average defense.

If you put Edey next to an agile shot blocker like Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama, Evan Mobley, Onyeka Okongwu - you'd be looking at some elite rim protection for long stretches when the matchups are favorable...

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

I am truly fascinated by what this kid is gonna face once he hits the league:

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

Watch on YouTube

[Jamaaliver]

Zach Edey | C | Purdue | Age: 21.8 | Top 100: 13

Watch on YouTube

Edey put forth one of the best performances in NCAA tournament history while leading Purdue to the Final Four behind the first 40-point, 15-rebound performance since Bo Kimble did so in 1990. This was a career-high scoring effort for Edey in the most important game of his college career.

Spoiler:

Perhaps more important (and more notable from an NBA standpoint) was the way Edey shut down the paint, helping hold Tennessee to just seven made 2-pointers in the half court all game. He did an outstanding job of bothering shots with his length, coming up with several impressive possessions operating out of a drop while making the Volunteers think twice about even attempting shots with him in the vicinity.

He stepped outside the paint on several occasions showing impressive mobility in sliding his feet and 7-foot- 4 frame and continued to work hard deep into the second half while playing all but 33 seconds of the 40-minute contest. Clearly battling fatigue, Edey's defensive impact did drop off somewhat in the second half, which is concerning at the NBA level. Beyond that, Edey's sheer skill-level catching and finishing out of the pick-and-roll, utilizing polished footwork and using both hands finishing inside the paint was impressive to see. He didn't receive anywhere near the same type of whistle as he usually does in Big Ten play, as Tennessee's big men were allowed to grab, hold, push and essentially foul him on every possession. His physicality and competitiveness playing through relentless contact was on display as he drew 22 free throws. He made some smart passes out of double-teams and got his teammates a number of easy baskets with his screening. In the paint, he dominated the offensive glass, as usual, being impossible to dislodge in front of the rim once he established position.

Already coming into this game a projected lottery pick, this was exactly the type of performance that could further propel him into the top 10 for one of the many teams that already has bought into the impact he'll surely make in the NBA. This effort also could go a long way in convincing the holdouts of just how impactful his tremendous size, length, strength, toughness, skill level and intensity can be at the next level. Edey has been viewed by most NBA teams ESPN has spoken with as a lock first-round pick for months now, but his standing has improved considerably with his late-blooming trajectory (he has only been playing basketball since age 15), competitiveness and the fact that he is still a young senior at age 21.

Edey will have another high-profile contest awaiting in Arizona against red-hot DJ Burns Jr. and NC State and, if both Purdue and UConn advance, a dream big-man matchup with Clingan in the championship game. -- Givony

ESPN Insider

[atlantabbq99]

Watch on YouTube

0:50...

Slightly disagree, if Gobert is successful with the right teammates, Edey can also be some what successful in the NBA

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

If Hawks were to select Zach Edey, it seems a given that he would get a fair amount of tutelage from Shaq Diesel in the early years of his career.

That could be huuuge...

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

Why Zach Edey rarely gets whistled for fouls yet draws so many



Zach Edey has been the most dominant player in the NCAA tournament. He's also been one of the most heavily criticized by opposing fans. Many have expressed frustration at how he constantly gets to the line, yet rarely gets called for fouls himself.

That foul discrepancy has become a major talking point on social media.

Edey doesn't chase blocks
Edey's block numbers are pretty good — he's averaged 2.2 per game this season. Those are more the result of his massive 7-10.5 inch wingspan than anything else.

Edey is a very slow player. When he's not already in great position to get a block, he will oftentimes give up on a play and cede uncontested layups.

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Edey is extremely difficult to officiate

Given Edey's size, there is a ton of wrestling that goes on down low. This is particularly true when teams try to keep him away from the offensive glass, where he is the best in college hoops. There are other calls that have been missed throughout the tournament.

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

Why Zach Edey draws a lot of fouls

Edey's lack of foul calls are even more frustrating for opposing fans because of how often he is getting to the line. He became the first player since Pete Maravich with over 400 free throws in a season after his 22 on Sunday.

There are a couple of different reasons for that phenomenon, particularly in Sunday's game. The Volunteers were one of the most foul-prone teams in the nation, playing an aggressive style of defense all year. It makes sense that they would foul Edey a lot.

When going through the film, there is nothing egregious that stands out. These are legitimate fouls.

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

Edey is one of the biggest basketball players in the world. It is very hard to stop a 7-foot-4, 300-pound center without fouling. It makes sense then, upon closer inspection, why Edey has drawn so many fouls and been whistled for so few during Purdue's March Madness run. The trend will likely continue, as will the complaints surrounding it.

Sporting News

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

In the league, the biggest achilles for Edey led defenses will be big men that can pull him out from the paint and allow drivers to get past him on the weak side.

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

I shudder at the thought.