Will Zach Edey play in the NBA next season? What position could he be selected in the draft?
It’s now clear that Purdue’s big man is something special, which leads to the obvious question of whether we will see his skills in the NBA soon. So, will we?
At 7 feet 4 inches, Purdue University’s Zach Edey has turned the heads of fans and scouts alike. Whether it’s his obviously problematic size in the paint or his seemingly unfair skill set around the hoop, it’s clear that Edey is a future star of the game. If we take the Boilermakers’ most recent game - a Sweet 16 matchup - against Gonzaga, there’s no denying it.
Will Zach Edey enter the NBA?
Perhaps the better answer to that question is not so much ‘Will he?’, but rather, ‘How will he?’ Zach Edey put 27 points on the board against Gonzaga on Saturday to go with 14 rebounds and nine fouls drawn and to be honest, it was a quiet night. Quite frankly, the Canadian’s career at Purdue has been one of dominance, but here’s the thing: Times have changed. Today’s NBA is a league that has seen an increasing emphasis placed on agility, perimeter shooting, and perhaps most importantly, versatility. The modern player has got to be a ‘Jack of all trades’, something that Edey - as good as he is - doesn’t exactly qualify as.
Indeed, while Edey’s size grants a clear advantage, it may be that many teams opt for a player who is more mobile when it comes to spatial defense, or at least one who can stretch the floor. This is not to say that Edey can’t be both of those things, but it will require development. Step one will of course be improving his agility, conditioning, and defensive prowess. Then, there is his production and moreover against top-tier opponents. Yet, one can’t deny the downright problem that Edey - with his size and arsenal - poses for opposing teams.
This of course brings us to Edey’s projected Draft position in 2024. At present, he’s slated to go at No. 14 in ESPN’s latest mock draft which would see him heading to the New Orleans Pelicans via the Los Angeles Lakers. That is with the assumption that Edey continues to develop in the aforementioned areas while adapting to the changing requirements of the NBA. Whatever the case, it seems all but certain that we will be seeing Purdue’s star in the upcoming Draft. Where he goes and at what pick may be newsworthy, but perhaps not more so than whether he can deliver on his obvious promise, something we’d like to see.