The action between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse became even hotter in the third quarter when Desmond Bane and Donovan Mitchell got into it while battling for possession of the leather. Players and coaches from both sides along with security personnel tried to get in between, including Grizzlies big man Zach Edey, who appeared to be heated himself.
The former Purdue Boilermakers star center stands 7'4″ so he was not easy to miss amid all the commotion that was going on. A video near the action is making the rounds online, showing Edey, who was taken in the first round as the night overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft by Memphis, being held back by Grizzlies staff as a referee instructed him to return to the bench (via Mark Smaldino)
Zach edey crying “he went after my player” lmfao https://t.co/GjLJJ32z4h pic.twitter.com/lHFJcfEmPg
— Mark Smaldino (@MDSmalls23) February 24, 2025
Others have also shared their takes on Edey immediately trying to get in between the fracas, with many in awe of how physically imposing he looked amid a crowd of tinier human beings.
“Zach Edey is exactly what this team needs. He doesn’t play about his teammates,” said an X (formerly Twitter) user.
“Zach Edey moving the whole pile is crazy,” another one posted.
“This video just shows how massive Zach Edey is,” read a different comment about the Grizzlies rookie.
Article Continues BelowAnother commenter said: “Zach Edey is gonna have one of those enforcer moments in the offs, and it’s gonna be a momentum swinger”
“Look at the size of Edey 😭,” a social media user shared.
“Hold Zach Edey back. He’s about to let loose on someone with a 92’ in. reach,” chimed in a fan.
After the dustup, both Mitchell and Bane got slapped with technical fouls as well as Tristan Thompson and Ja Morant, who were also on the scene.
The Grizzlies entered the Cleveland game looking to punctuate their five-leg road trip with a win and follow up their 105-104 victory over the Orlando Magic last Friday with another. After their Cleveland visit, the Grizzlies will return home for a five-game home stand that kicks off this coming Tuesday versus Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.