After a dominant run with the Purdue basketball program, Zach Edey is finally in the NBA. The Memphis Grizzlies selected Edey with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 Draft. Edey made his NBA Summer League debut against the Utah Jazz on Monday and did not disappoint. Edey's new teammate Ja Morant sang his praises after some late-game heroics.
The Grizzlies trailed the Jazz by two points with 0.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Jake LaRavia was at the line shooting a free throw for Memphis and missed it, but Zach Edey was there to save the day. Edey battled through two defenders and tipped the ball in at the last second, sending the game to overtime. The big man's effort resulted in this hyped reaction from Ja Morant:
“Ayeeeeeee Zach,” Morant posted on X alongside a smiling face emoji and strong arm emoji.
Unfortunately, the Grizzlies fell 97-95 in double OT, but Edey and his teammates had promising performances. The Purdue basketball product finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks. Scottie Pippen Jr., Jake LaRavia, and GG Jackson II all contributed 21, 18, and 16 points respectively.
The Grizzlies have a history of doing well in the NBA Summer League. They won the 2019 league championship under the leadership of Ja Morant. Memphis is hoping their young talent can take another step forward in 2024 as they prepare for a pivotal season.
Grizzlies look to take jump 2024-25
Memphis was once touted as one of the most promising young teams in the NBA. However, injuries halted their success during the 2023-24 season. The Grizzlies are coming off a 27-55 record, which placed them 13th in the Western Conference standings. Their finish to the year was quite surprising considering they went 51-31 a season prior.
With their team returning healthy, the Grizzlies look to make a significant improvement in 2024-25. Leading the pack will be former NBA All-Star Ja Morant. Morant boasts career averages of 25.1 points, 8.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game. He endured a suspension at the beginning of the 2023-24 season and later suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, but he is en route to a bounce-back showing.
Alongside Morant will be former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. Jackson is a two-way stretch threat who acts as the anchor to Memphis's attack on both ends of the floor. The Grizzlies are hoping Jackson Jr. and new center Zach Edey can form a potent frontcourt duo.
Edey was dominant with the Purdue basketball program during his senior year. He averaged an earnest double-double of 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds along with 2.5 blocks per game. The 7'4″ center helped the Boilermakers to the NCAA Final Four, where they came up short against the national champion UConn Huskies.
Analysts did not expect Edey to be a top-1o draft pick, but the Grizzlies took a chance on him with their ninth selection. Memphis' move is fitting, given their development of franchise legend Marc Gasol, who was a second-round pick.
Memphis looks for Zach Edey to continue his impressive NBA Summer League play and help the team ascend to greater heights.
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