After a dominant college career culminating in two National Player of the Year awards, Zach Edey was viewed as a lottery pick by some NBA teams. Others, however, saw the towering 7-foot-4 center, falling outside the first round.
After being taken ninth by the Memphis Grizzlies, Edey’s preseason performances have done little to quell the debate.
Although some fans have compared him to Yao Ming or Shaquille O’Neal, Edey has already flashed many of the issues on offense and defense that plagued him in college. He has the potential to become Rookie of the Year, but he could just as easily end up buried at the back of the Grizzlies rotation.
Next, we’ll examine the good and bad from Zach Edey in the preseason.
The Good
Edey has been dominant in the post, displaying a soft touch with both hands and outstanding footwork, including drop-steps and spin moves. Although he’s primarily matched up against backups, he also had some impressive moments against Pacers’ starting center Myles Turner on Tuesday night. Edey scored with ease against the two-time block champion, completely unfazed by Turner’s presence. Outside of the league’s most elite defensive centers, it’s hard to imagine anyone consistently stopping Edey in single coverage. Beyond his post-play, Edey has excelled at navigating tight spaces in the paint, positioning himself well for passes from driving guards.
