"They gave me a chance": Zach Edey relays gratitude towards Purdue nation for one last time ahead of 2024 March Madness 

Zach Edey is in his last season with Purdue and it seems he has many things to be grateful for.

The center spoke on his time with the Boilermakers in an interview with ESPN's Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter. The talk revolved around everything that Edey and Purdue have achieved so far.

"I think Purdue's given me so much. The coaching staff, the university, my teammates, they really just gave me a chance. They came in and they believed in me and they really worked with me and they stuck with me.

"So I owe this University so much. Playing the last game in Mack[Mackey Arena] will be it'll be a lot of emotions for me," Edey said.

In May 2023, Zach Edey decided to opt out of the NBA Draft to play one more year at Purdue. The Toronto native dominated the college basketball scene last year averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. He was named National Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year.

However, Purdue's season run was less than iconic. Despite being the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, they lost in the opening round, becoming only the second No.1 team in history to do so. With Edey's return, the Boilermakers hoped to clear their name this season and are on the right track.

Purdue occupies the top spot in the Big Ten Conference with their 23-3 record. They are projected to be the No. 1 seed for March Madness 2024. Edey is also doing well averaging 23.2 points with 11.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 61.3% from the field.

Zach Edey's future prospects in the NBA

Despite all the collegiate accolades Edey has accumulated over the years, his prospects in the NBA were weak. Last year, the big man was not considered an elite prospect but was rather on the periphery, predicted to be drafted late in the second round. As per ESPN's mock draft 2024, Zach Edey is predicted at No. 13 with the potential home being the Sacramento Kings.

The biggest reason behind Edey not being a top pick is because of his playing style. He has a more old-school type of style and this could affect his future in the NBA. Zach Edey is back to the basket, point-blank range, with a solid finishing touch in the post and a good understanding of positioning down low.

The NBA has seen a resurgence of big men with Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid. However, the 7-foot-4 has not mastered shooting the perimeter shot quite like Jokic or Embiid. At the same time, Edey does not match the athleticism and agility of someone like Antetokounmpo. All of this makes Edey a less-than-probable pick for teams in the NBA.