One of the most polarizing prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft class is Purdue big man, Zach Edey. Arguably the most dominant player in college basketball the last few seasons, there were questions about how his game would translate to the next level.
He has some unteachable traits, as he measured out at nearly 7’4” tall without shoes. He has a wingspan of nearly 7’11” and a standing reach of 9’7”. With size and length like that, coaches in the NBA can certainly find a use for him, especially with how talented he is on the offensive side of the ball.
With Purdue, Zach Edey averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.2 blocks in 32 minutes per game. He won the AP Player of the Year award his last two seasons in college, as he was a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball.
Evaluations for him are wide-ranging. Some people don’t believe that Zach Edey will have much of an impact at the next level, as he could turn into a newer version of Boban Marjanovic. Using a first-round pick on him could cost people their jobs.
One of the reasons people have questioned Zach Edey’s fit in the NBA is because of his range offensively. Dominant around the rim, he didn’t show much on the perimeter with the Boilermakers.
But, the strides he showed at the foul line during his collegiate career at least give some hope that he can expand his range. At the NBA Combine, it was his first chance to showcase improvements and he showcased some 3-point shooting range.
Zach Edey says he has the 3-ball in his game right now already and he's looking forward to showing that. Doesn't look like a stretch here at the NBA draft combine. pic.twitter.com/Egc1HYfSDs
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2024
Seeing Zach Edey on the perimeter knocking down 3-pointers with ease will certainly help improve his draft stock. If he can prove capable of knocking down jumpers at a respectable rate, the number of teams willing to take a shot on him will jump considerably.
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