The 2024 NBA Draft got off to a rollicking start with the pick one selection of Zaccharie Risacher by the Atlanta Hawks and the top ten selection of Zach Edey by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Both picks have been widely criticized, but it's the selection of Edey that appears to be drawing the most contempt and scorn from NBA fans.
The Edey pick came amid a Marcus Smart playoff boast that will have Grizzlies fans talking. Trade rumors regarding Smart's future have circulated throughout the National Basketball Association lately.
Among those chiming in was Bob Myers, a championship winning architect of the Golden State Warriors who has since become a television analyst with a bright future in the business.
Myers Gets Real On Edey Pick
Myers said that he did not see Edey going as high as he did in the draft. The Purdue Boilermakers living legend was projected to go somewhere near the bottom of the top 20 instead of the bottom of the top ten as he did on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center.
“This is the most surprising pick so far, for me,” Myers said. “I just didn't see him going this high.”
Myers added that he feels the Grizzlies selected Edey to be their “next Steven Adams,” referring to the former Grizzlies center who is now in Houston with Coach Ime Udoka's Rockets.
Myers added that computer models are split on whether Edey will experience success at the next level or whether he will have a hard time defending in space and end up glued to the pine.
The ex-Golden State GM said that it will be a “fascinating experiment” to see if the Grizzlies' gamble pays off at the next level.
Edey's Impact With Grizzlies a Big Question Mark
Edey led an overmatched Purdue team to the NCAA Tournament Championship Game this past spring and now fans are wondering if he will have the same type of impact on the Grizzlies this fall.
Last season, the Purdue big man averaged 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds. He dominated at times against fellow top ten draft pick Donovan Clingan of the Connecticut Huskies, proving he is a capable next-level NBA player.
The Grizzlies already have Jaren Jackson, Jr., an athletic center who can slide to the power forward position alongside Edey. Jackson, Jr.'s shot blocking prowess and defense could allow Edey to thrive as the Grizzlies' starting center either this upcoming season or in the future.
Edey will also likely have the opportunity to play with Ja Morant, the shifty point guard who penetrates the lane at will against opposing defenses. Undersized, quick and athletic guards like Morant typically pair well with outsized centers like the 7-foot-4 Purdue star Edey.
This could be a match made in heaven, or something far worse. How Edey prepares and works will almost certainly determine how well he takes advantage of his exciting new opportunity in The Volunteer State.
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