The 2023-24 season was tough for Memphis Grizzlies fans. The season started on the wrong foot with Ja Morant suspended over his antics in previous years.
In anticipation, the Grizzlies created a team that could help them remain competitive despite their star’s absence in the season’s first quarter. However, the misfortunes didn’t stop there as they not only lost Morant to a season-ending injury, but many of their players had to spend time on the sideline to the point that almost the entire roster was on the injury report at one point.
With the season all but gone, Memphis fans looked forward to the opportunity of getting a talented player in the 2024 NBA Draft. While the class was considerably weaker than the 2023 class, outstanding players were still available for the team to choose from.
They used the ninth overall selection to draft Purdue Boilermakers standout Zach Edey. The big man who made a lot of noise during the latest March Madness tournament will be part of an exciting Grizzlies squad that will look to bounce back next season.
Memphis Grizzlies defy pre-draft odds by picking Zach Edey at #9
Edey had a great March Madness tournament, and it’s one of the biggest reasons why the Grizzlies made him a Top 10 player.
However, analysts doubted whether Edey was even worth being in the lottery. Some even argued that the Purdue alum has too many issues to even be picked that high.
“What’s most attractive is his size and the way he can anchor a defense, but teams will be cautious taking him with opponents likely hunting him in screens every time down the court and drawing favorable mismatches,” Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports wrote when projecting Edey to fall to No. 25.
Edey will be a great addition to the Memphis Grizzlies squad with his excellent size and skillset. In his final year with the Boilermakers, he averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks a game. He’ll become a terrific interior presence who can shore up the paint alongside Jaren Jackson Jr.
It will now be up to him to dismiss the doubters with his game throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
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