Well, Zach Edey is certainly looking like the next big thing. At least to his new teammates. Coming out of a dominant college career at Purdue, he was picked number nine by the Grizzlies in this year’s draft. And the big man is already beginning to turn some heads in his locker room. After attending Ja Morant’s summer workouts, the superstar was so impressed by Edey that he warned the entire league about his arrival as his teammate Luke Kennard marveled at the growing team chemistry.
Addressing Edey’s potential in a recent interview, Morant made a bold prediction, “Definitely Rookie of the Year. I think easy too.” With a 7’4 frame and a high basketball IQ, Ja claimed he was not surprised to see Edey dominate college ball the way he did. And the rookie’s hunger to get better during Ja’s “bootcamp” only made his belief stronger, “It was big time for him.” While Edey’s size might be the most prominent aspect of his game, Ja was also left in awe of his shooting touch. Apart from being an 18.2-point scorer in college, Edey was also highly efficient with a shooting percentage of 62.1%.
Ja Morant on Zach Edey:
“Definitely Rookie of the Year. I think easy too.”
Edey made it through Ja’s off-season training “boot camp” and Ja is really excited by what he saw
Something special is brewing in Memphis
— EdeyMuse (@EdeyMuse) September 21, 2024
Moreover, Edey’s infectious energy even motivated Morant, “Obviously, made me excited to have him on the team.” Meanwhile, Grizzlies’ sharpshooter Luke Kennard also had high praise for Edey in a recent interview, “Big Zach has surprised a lot of people out there, so we’re looking forward to what he can do and how he can help us this year.” Sure enough, the arrival of Edey and the return of several stars who were injured last season has filled the Grizzlies with a newfound energy and competitiveness which was evident during their recent five-on-five workouts, “Something I haven’t really seen before. We’re really pushing each other and competing really hard. I think that’s going to go a long way. We start that right now. We’re getting a few steps ahead until the season starts.” But one major issue could halt the team’s momentum!
Zach Edey must overcome one major weakness to live up to Ja’s expectations
With Ja Morant and other superstars returning from injury, their team is expected to take a massive leap next season. But his prophecy about Edey has a shot of coming true only if the rookie is able to stay healthy and available for the entire year. And that could be a major challenge for him because of his 7’4 frame. Yes, there is no denying Edey’s talent as he was an elite scorer in college and even averaged 12.2 rebounds in his senior year.
Moreover, he even had a decent showing in the Summer League when he suited up as he dropped 14 points along with fifteen boards and four crucial blocks. But what raised concerns was that he rolled his right ankle after he stepped on an opponent’s foot during a block attempt in a game against the Pelicans. Sure enough, the injury caused him to miss the rest of the Summer League games. Moreover, he has been dealing with ankle soreness for the past few months. And injuries are a major concern among big men as it could derail their career. While Edey definitely has the potential to win Rookie of the Year, he will need to stay healthy if he wants to bag that trophy and more importantly, help the Grizzlies win.
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