That was a surprise.
The Memphis Grizzlies selected Zach Edey out of Purdue basketball 9th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. The 7-4 center jumped from a fringe draft prospect to the top 10 after winning two National Player awards of the Year and lead the Boilermakers to the 2024 national championship game. However, he is a traditional post player in a modern game that has less room for that.
Is the choice exaggerated? Opinions vary.
NBA Draft Grades for Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
KeynoteUSA Sports: B
This is a pick where beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No one cares what Edey did in college in terms of Edey’s decorated trophy case. But they do care about his rate of improvement, and Edey got better every year. He’s huge — so big that it can actually hurt him on defense because he’ll get targeted on ball screens. But he’s huge, he’s a worker, and he’s getting better every day. And it fits: Edey is the best blocker in the draft, and Ja Morant loves to run a pick-and-roll.
Robby Kalland, Tell Me: C
This is a lot for Edey, but it’s also understandable. Make no mistake, Edey was a generational college player and he’s more than just big. But he’s truly huge. His rebounding, his blocking, his hands and his finishing around the rim are all tremendous. The big question is how he’ll adapt to the NBA, particularly when asked to defend in open space against NBA athletes. Memphis also tends to play fast, something Edey may not be suited for, but the Grizzlies clearly wanted a center and got one.
Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation: B+
What a pick by Memphis. Edey is legitimately one of the most productive college basketball players of all time. At 7-4 with a 7-10 wingspan and a 300-pound frame, Edey is an absolute giant who can score inside with a soft touch and crush the offensive glass. His conditioning is phenomenal for a player his size, but he lacks mobility and the defensive coverage versatility that comes with it. Putting him next to a more mobile big man like Jaren Jackson Jr. should be a mutually beneficial pairing. Edey will be able to bring a lot of what Memphis lost with Steven Adams while also adding a lot more points. This is a fascinating pick, and I respect Memphis’ vision.
Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report: C-
He’s a good player for his size, but his moves are heavy by NBA standards. Can he defend in space? Can he make enough jump shots to not be left alone far from the basket? If he adds enough value on the perimeter to not be outplayed, he could be an asset given his inside activity, post ability and large size.
Memphis may have recently come out of a draft that no one seemed to like with a new starting center, but it may also have spent a top-10 pick on someone who is plotted from the court in the playoffs. Stay tuned.
Ayrton Ostly, KeynoteUSA: C
Edey will help the team that was the second-worst in shooting from inside the arc last year and Jaren Jackson Jr. alleviates concerns on defense. But this seems a bit high considering the plethora of forwards who could help the team along with the guard corps of Ja Morant, Marucs Smart and Desmond Bane.
Danny Chau, The Bell Ringer: B-
Big dude. The big butter pie. The notorious TTC. (Don’t mind me, I’m just working here.) Edey needs no introduction. The back-to-back national college player of the year is almost larger than life itself, and the ultimate test case for how much mileage a modern NBA team can get out of a historically dominant offensive juggernaut in one of basketball’s fastest eras. The only player taller and with a longer wingspan than Edey is Victor Wembanyama, and he’s nearly 100 pounds lighter. Memphis needed a big man in the worst way; it seemed likely it would trade up to get a dominant anchor like Clingan. Instead, the Grizzlies get even bigger, albeit with a tougher projection. There will always be concerns about how Edey fares defending in space, but a player of his size, skill, and touch should be able to produce in small, focused bursts at the very least off the bench. We’ll be watching with great interest.
Kyle Irving, Sports News: C-
The Grizzlies have made a strong push to get Edey into the top 10.
Memphis needs a center after trading Steven Adams to the Rockets last season, but Edey felt reachable much later in the draft. This isn’t a knock on Edey as an NBA prospect (he’s made great strides to improve weaknesses like his conditioning and mobility), but he still has clear limitations beyond scoring right at the rim.
Keynote USA
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