Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey made his mark on NBA record books on Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets.
The rookie big man and ninth-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft posted an unprecedented stat line with 25 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks on 9-of-10 field goals and 1-for-1 from three-point range. He became the first-ever rookie in the history of the NBA with a 20/10 game on 90%/100% shooting, per StatMuse.
The Grizzlies' rookie is quickly acclimating to the pro game. He has scored double-digit points in five out of eight games to begin the season and double-digit rebound totals in his last two games. The 22-year-old prospect from the Purdue Boilermakers has already caught the attention of rookie teammate Jaylen Wells per Michael Wallace of Grind City Media.
“(Edey) makes things easier for everyone on the floor when he is out there,” Wells said. “Getting boards, blocking shots, you know when a guard gets by you and Edey is in the paint, it's going to be a hard shot over him. On offense, especially for Ja, it's an easy bailout pass option. You can throw a lob, so yeah, he definitely makes it easier for everyone on the floor.”
Grizzlies tracking the early progress for Edey
The 7-foot-4 standout is coming along nicely and seems to have a patient approach to building his game.
“I'm just trying to take it game by game, get better every game,” Edey explained. “That's kind of what I did in college. Nobody really knew me when I was a freshman, but people knew me by the time I was a senior. So I'm just trying to take it like that, game by game.”
Head coach Taylor Jenkins also believes in challenging Edey to push his versatility in the fast-paced NBA.
“I'm going to challenge him to continue to grow versatility on the outside being able to shoot the three-ball, being able to defend on the perimeter, too. I think this guy is fully capable of it,” Jenkins said. “It is going to take time as he adapts to the physicality and the speed, the game strategies and tendencies of the league.”
Edey isn't the only rookie Jenkins is touting in this early season as Wells has earned some of the spotlight.
“For a rookie, I’ve said it multiple times, (Wells) just plays with extreme confidence,” boasted Jenkins. “He understands he has got to make a mark on the defensive side. He and I have talked about that multiple times. To go up against one of the best guards in the game, the effort that he had, the discipline to show his hands, going over screens, I didn’t really see any mistakes at all.”
The Grizzlies have a two-game home stretch with upcoming games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards on Wednesday and Friday.
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