The Memphis Grizzlies made an interesting selection at No. 9 this year in the NBA Draft, taking Purdue center Zach Edey, two-time national player of the year in college. This selection was made after UConn center Donovan Clingan was selected two picks earlier by the Portland Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies had an obvious need at center, and some believed that Edey might have been picked a bit too early, but he fills that role, and he played his first NBA Summer League game on Monday against the Utah Jazz and went up against Walker Kessler.
Zach Edey is one of the best college basketball players in recent memory, and he got better each season with Purdue. As a freshman, Edey started just two games and averaged 8.7 points per game, according to Basketball Reference, showing flashes of what he would become later on. He took over as a starter in his sophomore season, scoring 14.4 points per game with 7.7 rebounds, which was good, but not anywhere near the heights he reached in his junior and senior seasons.
In Edey's junior season, he averaged 22.3 points per game with 12.9 rebounds, and he won his first of two national player of the year awards. Purdue ultimately lost to 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of the tournament, which was a massive disappointment. The next season, Edey got even better, scoring 25.2 points per game with 12.2 rebounds, and he helped Purdue get to the national championship game, where the Boilermakers lost to a juggernaut UConn team that will go down as one of the best college basketball teams.
In the game against UConn, matching up against Clingan for a decent portion, Edey put up 37 points with 10 rebounds. Purdue did not get enough from other players, specifically its three-point shooters, as the Boilermakers went 1-for-7 overall.
While it is still very early, going up against the Jazz and Walker Kessler in Summer League was an interesting test for Edey.
Zach Edey shows promise in NBA Summer League debut
Edey played 33 minutes in the game, scoring 14 points with 15 rebounds and four blocks while shooting 7-of-12 from the field. This was a back-and-forth game between the Grizzlies and the Jazz, and Edey did make an impact throughout, with some dunks and some blocks that were pivotal in the second half.
The Grizzlies are going to look to bounce back this upcoming season with players like Ja Morant and Marcus Smart returning from injury. The expectation will be to make the playoffs and possibly make a run. Edey will be a key part of that at the center position, whether that be as a starter or a backup. Him holding his own against a player like Kessler in his first Summer League game was promising.
The Jazz ended up winning the game 97-95 in overtime, but Edey's performance was a positive for Memphis. The Grizzlies' next Summer League game comes against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, with another against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
It would not be a surprise to see Edey sit in one of the next two games, as it would be tough to ask him to play three days in a row in the Summer League, but it will be interesting to see how he fares in the next game he plays.
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