{"id":76653,"date":"2024-05-08T14:34:12","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T18:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=76653"},"modified":"2024-05-08T14:34:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T18:34:12","slug":"zach-edey-2024-nba-draft-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/05\/08\/zach-edey-2024-nba-draft-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Zach Edey 2024 NBA Draft Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

After years of postseason mediocrity, the Purdue Boilermakers exceeded expectations as a No. 1 seed and made it to the NCAA Tournament Finals. A big reason behind their success\u2014literally and figuratively\u2014was the dominant play of <\/span>Zach Edey<\/span><\/a>, whose size and skill have intrigued scouts for years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zach Edey 2024 NBA Draft Profile<\/b><\/h2>\n

College Career<\/b><\/h3>\n

A four-year player, the 7’4″, 285-pound Edey had the best season of his career as a senior. In 39 games\u2014all starts\u2014he averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2 assists per game. He shot 62% from the field, 50% from three and 71% from the free-throw line. He has consistently improved his game every year despite Purdue\u2019s past early exits. This year marked Edey\u2019s second consecutive season averaging a double-double\u2014he put up 22 points and 13 boards per game as a junior.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edey\u2019s litany of awards across four years includes two AP Player of the Year honors, two Wooden and Naismith Awards, an All-Tourney selection and two Big-Ten All-Defensive Team nods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Strengths<\/b><\/h3>\n

Given Edey\u2019s massive frame, it\u2019s no wonder why he\u2019s able to <\/span>dominate a game<\/span><\/a> so easily. But what\u2019s more unique is how he does it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edey, as many would expect, thrives in the post. He seals himself right away and is able to finish through contact, primarily through dunks or hook shots. Edey is just as good with pick-and-rolls, which is arguably his bread and butter. His strength allows him to set effective screens, and he\u2019s first to the rim almost every time. Edey\u2019s ability to post-up also leads to some <\/span>solid reads as a playmaker<\/span><\/a>, mostly to the perimeter and into the hands of a sharpshooting Boilermaker.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from his paint dominance, Edey has displayed a decent jumper. He\u2019s used it when defenders manage to keep him away from the restricted area, and it\u2019s worked like a charm. Edey also made one of two threes in his career\u2014both in this season. He isn\u2019t going to be like Kristaps Porzingis<\/a> from beyond the arc, but he can get lucky from the perimeter once in a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

Defensively, Edey is a monster. He tallied 84 blocks and 11 steals this season. Edey\u2019s <\/span>7\u201910\u201d wingspan<\/span><\/a> allows him to pin shots on the backboard or swat them into the stands. His frame alone is often an automatic deterrent for anyone trying to score at the rim. Edey is also able to keep up with opponents near the perimeter and force them to pass once they get into the paint.<\/span><\/p>\n

Weaknesses<\/b><\/h3>\n

The main concern with Edey is how he\u2019ll adjust to the NBA\u2019s playing style, especially its speed. His pick-and-roll defense is suspect, and he will have to adjust to other teams\u2019 defensive schemes, which will require him to also be more mobile than he is now.<\/span><\/p>\n