It’s not often that the No. 9 pick in the NBA Draft is the gambling favorite to win Rookie of the Year, but this is a strange draft class and Zach Edey is the strangest player in it.
The Purdue star was considered a fringe NBA prospect a year ago. Now, he’s expected to be the most productive rookie.
That prediction starts to make a lot of sense when you break down the perfect fit that Edey has found himself in with the Grizzlies. Here’s why Edey has a great chance to win the award over Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr and more.
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Four reasons Zach Edey is going to win Rookie of the Year
Zach Edey is going to play a lot
Rookie of the Year hasn’t always been about who the best player in a draft class is going to be. More often, it’s gone to the player who has put up the best box score stats.
If you need proof, just remember that Malcolm Brogdon once won the award over Joel Embiid.
Edey has a big advantage given that playing time criteria. He was drafted onto a Grizzlies team that traded away their starting center in Steven Adams and never really replaced him. Edey will likely take on that starting role, ensuring that he has plenty of chances to succeed.
The Grizzlies don’t have a ton of options behind Edey at center either. Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama and Brandon Clark are undersized and better as forwards. It’s basically just Edey and small ball units behind him.
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Zach Edey has immediately translatable skills
Edey enters the league as one of the biggest players. He’s listed at 7-4 and 305 pounds. That is massive, and he is one of the rare rookies who already has an NBA body.
Rebounding is one of the most translatable skills from college to the pros, and Edey is going to be amazing there. He led the NCAA in rebounding during his junior and senior seasons. He was also automatic in the low post, leading the nation in scoring and effective field goal percentage.
All of that carried over to Edey’s first Summer League game, where he scored 14 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked four shots. He was so much bigger than everyone else on the floor that he was impossible to stop.
ZACH EDEY TIP IN BUZZER BEATER!! pic.twitter.com/vnTsVGHTqQ
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) July 9, 2024
You can’t teach size, and Edey’s is already elite.
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Zach Edey has found a great landing spot to hide his weaknesses
There has never been much question about if Edey can rebound and score. His NBA projection was questioned because of doubts about his ability to defend and his lack of shooting.
Edey’s defensive mobility is still very much in doubt, but he will be playing next to two former Defensive Player of the Year winners in Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marcus Smart. It’s going to be a lot easier to scheme around Edey’s limitations with those two.
Edey will play with Desmond Bane as well, who is one of the best movement shooters in the game and a good defender. With Jackson Jr. also spreading the floor as a stretch big, that should help mitigate Edey’s lack of long-distance shooting and give him great spacing when he gets the ball in the post.
Lastly, Edey’s job will be very simplified by playing with one of the best drivers in the game in Ja Morant. His screens are going to have maximum impact, and his skill as a finisher is going to be fully utilized.
Edey’s success was always going to be dependent on his fit. He found a great one in Memphis.
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Zach Edey might win Rookie of the Year award by default
There will be at least one player in this draft class who ends up making a few All-Star games, but it will take a few years for that to happen.
Risacher and Sarr were the top picks in this draft. Neither player looks like they are ready to contribute immediately. None of the other lottery picks are projected to start for their teams. Reed Sheppard could put pressure on Edey, but he’s behind a number of guards in the Rockets’ rotation. The same goes for Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan.
We knew that this draft class was going to be weak all year, and the best rookies have been drafted into situations that might not make them pop right away. Edey could very well win the award by putting up 15 points and 10 rebounds per night.
Edey has found himself in some unique circumstances that might add up to the perfect storm for Rookie of the Year. We know what we’re going to get from him, and the rest of this class looks too shaky right now to challenge him.