Zach Edey, 7-4

[FrodoBaggins]

Check this out:

2004 Dwight Howard lane agility test: 11.21 seconds (240 pounds)
2024 Zach Edey lane agility test: 11.19 seconds (299 pounds)

Blake Griffin 6-9 with 35.5 inch Max Vert..
Buzelis 6-10 with 38 inch Max Vert....

Better call up Lob City and let them know they have a new mayor.

or maybe combine measurements aren't a perfect 1:1

You can cheat in the vertical jump tests though. Buzelis most definitely did a Reed Sheppard and shortened his standing reach!

[JMAC3]

Check this out:

2004 Dwight Howard lane agility test: 11.21 seconds (240 pounds)
2024 Zach Edey lane agility test: 11.19 seconds (299 pounds)

Blake Griffin 6-9 with 35.5 inch Max Vert..
Buzelis 6-10 with 38 inch Max Vert....

Better call up Lob City and let them know they have a new mayor.

or maybe combine measurements aren't a perfect 1:1

You can cheat in the vertical jump tests though. Buzelis most definitely did a Reed Sheppard and shortened his standing reach!

Buzelis has a higher standing reach than Tyler Smith, Da Silva and Ighodoro despite them being taller with longer arms. So unless your claim is all 4 guys tanked the standing reach test it's pretty baseless.

[TheSuzerain]

I've never been a huge fan of guys like Poeltl or Nurkic. Whatever either of these guys has done I think Edey is capable of. Problem is people don't think much of guys like this in the league. Even if Edey is better than them, by how much? And how valuable is a slightly better Nurkic? Obviously there's some value there and worth drafting but that's why he should be taken in the late 1st or early 2nd.

Poetl went #9 and has mostly lived up to that billing as a fringe top 10 player in that draft class.

And I agree, I don't see how Edey isn't a plainly better prospect than Poetl who has turned out to be a fine player.

And the pitch for Edey as a potential star (i.e. top 2/3 scoring option on a good team) is basically a consideration that there may be a physical tipping point where he simply becomes a problem for teams to defend in a way Nurkic/Poetl/Zubac are not.

Not to say it's guaranteed but it seems a straighter path to me than some of these other lotto guys achieving significance. Edey's potential "edge" is very apparent in a way that just isn't the case for even some of the top 5 projected guys (granted that edge comes with some strings attached, but I view that as less of a sin than having no edge at all).

[FrodoBaggins]

Blake Griffin 6-9 with 35.5 inch Max Vert..
Buzelis 6-10 with 38 inch Max Vert....

Better call up Lob City and let them know they have a new mayor.

or maybe combine measurements aren't a perfect 1:1

You can cheat in the vertical jump tests though. Buzelis most definitely did a Reed Sheppard and shortened his standing reach!

Buzelis has a higher standing reach than Tyler Smith, Da Silva and Ighodoro despite them being taller with longer arms. So unless your claim is all 4 guys tanked the standing reach test it's pretty baseless.

Unless you personally witnessed a draftee getting their standing reach measured and then performing a vertical jump, it's hard to know the truth. At least with the other tests you don't get those questions. The vertical jump tests are basic compared to the lane agility test, which includes several changes of direction, lateral movement, and backwards movement. I'd like to see a jumping test that prioritizes quickness off the ground and jumping following lateral or backwards movement.

[DOT]

That's why you watch games, to see functional athleticism, not just numbers in an empty gym

It's like 40 times for NFL players, if a guy runs a 4.3 but doesn't look like it on film, then the number is pointless

It's okay to say Edey looks slow laterally in games, cause he does. You don't have to ignore faults if you like him, just say you think he can succeed in spite of that.

[Big J]

What does Edey do better than James Wiseman besides his post game?

[King Ken]

What does Edey do better than James Wiseman besides his post game?

Everything. Wiseman is more fluid and he jumps higher. Due to the fluidity Wiseman self creation is better, closeouts are better, his rebounding radius is better, and that's probably it.

Edey has elite mental acuity, Wiseman mentally is meh

Edey is an elite screener, Wiseman still struggles with consistency at it whereas Duren is really good at it naturally.

Edey is a superior roller with superior roll IQ.

Edey is a superior finisher.

Edey has much better hands when moving off the ball, adjusting, and handling contact.

Edey is a consistent. Wiseman isn't

Edey communicates on D and consistently tags, Wiseman doesn't.

Edey has superior stamina.

Edey knows how to make the best play each possession, Wiseman just be out there at times, just getting cardio.

Edey is just a superior Basketball player.

Wiseman is a superior talent.

[King Ken]

That's why you watch games, to see functional athleticism, not just numbers in an empty gym

It's like 40 times for NFL players, if a guy runs a 4.3 but doesn't look like it on film, then the number is pointless

It's okay to say Edey looks slow laterally in games, cause he does. You don't have to ignore faults if you like him, just say you think he can succeed in spite of that.

Give me your definition of functional athleticism?

I watched 40+ games in full of Edey including this year only and U19 and world cup games with Canada. I think he's a freak athlete for 7'5. I am just dumbfounded when i hear slow with Edey. Laterally, I timed him and he moves better than Gobert on timed movements and that's before even seeing the NBA combine which confirmed my stop watch and eyes are accurate. I am truly confused.

Then again, I had Angel Reese the 2nd overall prospect, was told that she was inferior to 1-5 and won't even make the team and now shes one of the most impactful players, not just rookies. She had before last night

A +8.4 on
A +14.8 on/off

Maybe I am seeing differently but why I am so different from you?

To me, this is obvious

[HadAnEffectHere]

That's why you watch games, to see functional athleticism, not just numbers in an empty gym

It's like 40 times for NFL players, if a guy runs a 4.3 but doesn't look like it on film, then the number is pointless

It's okay to say Edey looks slow laterally in games, cause he does. You don't have to ignore faults if you like him, just say you think he can succeed in spite of that.

Give me your definition of functional athleticism?

One thing is that Edey might as well have a 0 inch vert because it takes him so long to leave the ground.

[King Ken]

That's why you watch games, to see functional athleticism, not just numbers in an empty gym

It's like 40 times for NFL players, if a guy runs a 4.3 but doesn't look like it on film, then the number is pointless

It's okay to say Edey looks slow laterally in games, cause he does. You don't have to ignore faults if you like him, just say you think he can succeed in spite of that.

Give me your definition of functional athleticism?

One thing is that Edey might as well have a 0 inch vert because it takes him so long to leave the ground.

While I don't exactly agree with this take. Fluidity, am I correct. Are you talking fluidity?

How quickly someone body reacts in motion?

Competely different then explosiveness which is more so about twitch and load

[DOT]

I am truly confused.

To me, this is obvious

[King Ken]

I am truly confused.

To me, this is obvious

Do you have film you care to share, data, facts? Just saying lacks functional athleticism and not really explaining yourself clearly is hard to digest.

The example you used was someone running a 4.3 but they don't play like it. That has nothing to do with functional athleticism. For example, Jerry Rice and to a lesser extend Keon Coleman ran 4.6 but when running drills, their MPH is a 20+. That doesn't mean they aren't 4.6. This just means, they can excuse drills at max effort levels whereas that 4.3 running might play at 75% speed because he doesn't have the natural vision to play at his test speed. When I think of functional athleticism. I think of D Wade. 88 BSPARQ which is terrific but for one of the goat NBA athletes, it's not as good as you expect for his age and it was less than Melo.

Wade has is elite functional athleticism. Elite first step, terrific handle so he can actually use his athleticism. He has terrific hands, he can control it with no issues, then his fluidity is top notch with his body control. He's also really strong so he handles contact with ease. He's clearly explosive but he has other tools that gives him the ability to leverage everything. The only thing I felt he lacked was coordination like Embiid.

To me, Edey is a freak athlete for 7'5. He has poor fluidity. The only prospect since Edy Taraves I've seen in the NBA with it in the modern era.

That hurts on ball actions, rebounding radius, closeouts, can effect switches to a degree, if the ball is on the ground or low in particular.

That said, he's lateral movement test well in short area and in space and the film confirms my eye test. Also his explosiveness shows on tape to match Rudy's and the test confirms again.

That said, the fluidity is a bitch. It really hampers him as an on ball player. But he's elite off the ball. Screening - elite
Movement - elite
Positioning in the post - elite

He also has the mental acuity.

I am having a hard time seeing the issues. The fluidity is a MAJOR issue and one that does limit him but he's already effective with what he has in spite of what he lacks.

[ItsDanger]

Its switching directions or 180 degree turns that will be a problem for him. The other issues can be reduced within team concepts. Its the offensive end that should be discussed more.

People overrate defense in NBA. Other team sports, its far more important and complicated.

[FarBeyondDriven]

Jerry Rice was timed 4.59 by Bill Walsh and 4.55 by others reportedly at workouts. He supposedly ran in the high 4.45 in college and during his playing days he clearly improved his speed via better technique and his legendary training habits. I wish people would stop using Rice as some example of a slow WR because he wasn't. He wasn't a 4.3 burner but he never got caught from behind because he was probably running in the mid 4.4s.

[King Ken]

Its switching directions or 180 degree turns that will be a problem for him. The other issues can be reduced within team concepts. Its the other end that should be discussed more.

People overrate defense in NBA. Other team sports, its far more important and complicated.

Those are issues for him in college

Fluidity is an issue but in a game of angles which the NBA is, this could be something he can overcome as we have seen Jokic and Marc Gasol do. I know, they are superior fluidity wise to Edey and he's superior athleticism wise to them but I think he could just play angles.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/eU4f8xXRjvM?si=D9uMYUoInSNZvuZm[/youtube]

[Big J]

What does Edey do better than James Wiseman besides his post game?

Everything. Wiseman is more fluid and he jumps higher. Due to the fluidity Wiseman self creation is better, closeouts are better, his rebounding radius is better, and that's probably it.

Edey has elite mental acuity, Wiseman mentally is meh

Edey is an elite screener, Wiseman still struggles with consistency at it whereas Duren is really good at it naturally.

Edey is a superior roller with superior roll IQ.

Edey is a superior finisher.

Edey has much better hands when moving off the ball, adjusting, and handling contact.

Edey is a consistent. Wiseman isn't

Edey communicates on D and consistently tags, Wiseman doesn't.

Edey has superior stamina.

Edey knows how to make the best play each possession, Wiseman just be out there at times, just getting cardio.

Edey is just a superior Basketball player.

Wiseman is a superior talent.

Let's say Wiseman played college ball last year for Purdue instead of Edey. What are his averages?

[King Ken]

What does Edey do better than James Wiseman besides his post game?

Everything. Wiseman is more fluid and he jumps higher. Due to the fluidity Wiseman self creation is better, closeouts are better, his rebounding radius is better, and that's probably it.

Edey has elite mental acuity, Wiseman mentally is meh

Edey is an elite screener, Wiseman still struggles with consistency at it whereas Duren is really good at it naturally.

Edey is a superior roller with superior roll IQ.

Edey is a superior finisher.

Edey has much better hands when moving off the ball, adjusting, and handling contact.

Edey is a consistent. Wiseman isn't

Edey communicates on D and consistently tags, Wiseman doesn't.

Edey has superior stamina.

Edey knows how to make the best play each possession, Wiseman just be out there at times, just getting cardio.

Edey is just a superior Basketball player.

Wiseman is a superior talent.

Let's say Wiseman played college ball last year for Purdue instead of Edey. What are his averages?

This is odd. I don't know. Would he even fit Purdue mentally and work ethic wise?

[Big J]

Everything. Wiseman is more fluid and he jumps higher. Due to the fluidity Wiseman self creation is better, closeouts are better, his rebounding radius is better, and that's probably it.

Edey has elite mental acuity, Wiseman mentally is meh

Edey is an elite screener, Wiseman still struggles with consistency at it whereas Duren is really good at it naturally.

Edey is a superior roller with superior roll IQ.

Edey is a superior finisher.

Edey has much better hands when moving off the ball, adjusting, and handling contact.

Edey is a consistent. Wiseman isn't

Edey communicates on D and consistently tags, Wiseman doesn't.

Edey has superior stamina.

Edey knows how to make the best play each possession, Wiseman just be out there at times, just getting cardio.

Edey is just a superior Basketball player.

Wiseman is a superior talent.

Let's say Wiseman played college ball last year for Purdue instead of Edey. What are his averages?

This is odd. I don't know. Would he even fit Purdue mentally and work ethic wise?

He'd easily have put up 30 & 10 and you know it. He put up damn near 20 & 10 2 years against the grown professionals in the G League.

[King Ken]

Let's say Wiseman played college ball last year for Purdue instead of Edey. What are his averages?

This is odd. I don't know. Would he even fit Purdue mentally and work ethic wise?

He'd easily have put up 30 & 10 and you know it. He put up damn near 20 & 10 2 years against the grown professionals in the G League.

I'll just focus on the facts and not the delusion.

Gleague is literally one of the worst leagues for 5s for pros. There is reason you rarely see centers called up from the Gleague.

https://basketball.realgm.com/gleague/transactions/callups

This ain't nothing to brag about and I have serious doubts he could play for the UCONN or Purdue of the world. Memphis and a school like Western Kentucky is his lane.

[lastb1ckman]

Why are we using Wiseman as an example of a center to compare Edey to? They're nothing alike. The reasons Wiseman hasn't paned out are different for any reason Edey might not pan out in the NBA. He's an hyper athletic 7 footer with great physical tools and shows flashes, but hasn't shown any consistency on offense or defense at the nba level. Hell, with him only playing 3 college games, he didn't show it on the collegiate level either. And as a result, most see him as a bust.