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Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Zach Edey was the face of men's college basketball last season while playing for the Purdue Boilermakers. With a towering 7-foot-4 presence on the court, he was the tallest to ever play in the Big 10.
CBS Sports has the New Orleans Pelicans taking him at No. 22. Bleacher Report has him landing with the Boston Celtics as the 30th pick. In ESPN's ranking by Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, Edey was No. 14.
"His size, strength, competitiveness and touch around the basket will allow him to play impactful minutes, and if he can make more strides on the defensive end, he should be able to carve out a useful niche in the NBA," Woo wrote.
A better idea of his possible destination will be clearer after the draft lottery on May 12.
Zach Edey declared for the NBA draft after Purdue's NCAA title game loss to UConn. He is among the 78 players invited to the draft combine. However, he missed out on the top 10 prospects composite rankings sent by the NBA, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givany.
Zach Edey was a one-man show against UConn in the NCAA Tournament title game, scoring 37 points. However, the Boilermakers lost 75-60.
A two-time national college of the year (in 2023 and 2024), he only rested four minutes from the Sweet 16 to the NCAA Tournament final. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 62.3%.
Why is Zach Edey projected so low for the NBA draft?
Despite being college basketball's top player, every player has some weaknesses, and Zach Edey also has some. Throughout his four seasons with Purdue, it was evident that he had slow feet. He's also not a 3-point shooter (1-for-2 for his career, with both attempts this season).
The NBA playing style these days is fast-paced, and in such a situation, he may regularly be left behind during the plays. As a center and a top scorer, he is expected to be the first to reach the ring.
Moreover, his inability to stand strong against the defense can pose a problem, especially in front of quicker bigs. With his height, he is expected to be great at blocks; however, his slowness may hinder him from using his height effectively in the NBA.
