"We are f***ing winners": $815k NIL-valued Zach Edey drops an F-bomb in postgame interview after leading Purdue to Final Four berth

Zach Edey led the Purdue Boilermakers to their first Final Four appearance since 1980 with a 72-66 win over the Tennessee Volunteers on Sunday. The $815k NIL-valued (per On3) center scored a career-high 40 points and took 16 rebounds.

Post-game, a fired-up Edey called out all the doubters in an interview with CBS Sports' Evan Washburn.

"They thought they knew us, man. They thought they knew what we had in our hearts. I'll promise you they didn't. We're f****ng winners. This is what we do," he said.

After testing the NBA waters last season, Zach Edey returned for his senior year. The AP All-American is averaging 24.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists, shooting 62.4%.

Despite having come so far into the postseason, Edey says he will not stop grinding.

“There’s no satisfaction. I didn’t come back to make the Sweet 16. I came back to make a run, a deep run,” Edey said after the win over Gonzaga. (via AP)

In an interview before the Elite Eight clash, Zach Edey said:

"This has been the tournament that we have been hyper-focused for all year. Obviously, we're not satisfied with making it to the Elite Eight. We wanna keep pushing.

“We know what we have on this roster, what we have in this team, and we know we can accomplish really big things. So, we just want to keep pushing and not get too caught up."

The road ahead for Zach Edey

It is highly anticipated that the center will declare for the 2024 NBA draft. However, Edey's prospects in the league are bleak. His old-school low post style of playing will restrict his game.

Zach Edey is expected to find it hard to fit in this positionless era of basketball, where shooting from behind the arc is crucial.

Many draft analysts have pointed out his lack of perimeter game and his restricted defense skills when pulled away from the basket. His athleticism is a bit similar to that of Nikola Jokić when he first entered the NBA. Going by Jokic's case, it is possible for Edey to get better with time and practice.

There has been no official confirmation from the center regarding his future plans. As per some of the latest mock drafts, Edey is predicted as a first-round pick outside the top 10.

For now, Edey & Co. will be focusing on the Final Four tipoff against NC State on Saturday.