NBA scouts and fans alike are all locked in on the 2024 NCAA Tournament. That is where all the attention of basketball fans will be for the next few weeks, as things got underway last week in the Play-In Games and with the first two rounds of games occurring this past weekend.
This is a great opportunity for prospects to cement their status heading into the 2024 NBA Draft and get on the radar of scouts and teams. One of the players many people will be keeping an eye on is Zach Edey of Purdue.
Standing a towering 7’4”, Edey catches the attention of everyone who tunes in to watch the Boilermakers player. He was a unanimous and consensus All-American for two seasons and has a chance to take home the National Player of the Year award for a second straight season as well.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Zach Edey, 2024 NBA Draft, Purdue Boilermakers Updates
In the college game, there aren’t many players capable of dominating on both ends as much as Edey. This season he has averaged 24.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.3 blocks in 31.2 minutes per game.
Given how different the rules are in college, as there is no defensive three-second violations as there are in the NBA, many people wonder how Edey’s game will translate to the next level. In the opinion of one scout, not well.
While speaking to HoopsHype, an NBA scout gave a not-so-rave review about Edey’s prospects as a pro player. The scout believes that Edey will be a situational big man, at best, which makes him a shaky first-round pick.
“People are talking about Edey going in the first round and I’m asking myself if we’re really talking about a situational big man in the first round?” an NBA scout told HoopsHype. “Is he going to be a starter? No. Is he going to be a backup every night? Probably not. He’s Boban Marjanovic in my opinion.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Zach Edey, 2024 NBA Draft, Purdue Boilermakers Updates
In addition to the concerns with his lateral quickness and defense at the next level, Edey’s lack of a perimeter game offensively hurts him. He isn’t going to be able to defend NBA guards on switches on the perimeter, which is a major issue. Offensively, one NBA executive believes Edey has the potential to expand his shooting range because of his free throw shooting, but defense remains a major issue.
Alas, all it takes is one team to like a prospect enough for their name to be called. The pre-draft process will be important for Edey, who has shown he can be a dominant interior scorer and anchor a defense in the paint. But, can the perimeter skills necessary to succeed in the NBA be developed? That will be what evaluators for teams look to dissect in the coming weeks.
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