The Memphis Grizzlies have cast their lot with towering center Zach Edey, selecting him with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Purdue alumnus comes highly decorated, boasting back-to-back National Player of the Year awards and now aims to fill the Grizzlies' gap in the center position. This move, as reported by Action News 5, comes after Memphis attempted to trade up for UConn's Donovan Clingan, a plan that ultimately did not come to pass.

At 7-feet-4-inches and weighing 285 pounds, Edey is one of the most imposing figures entering the league and represents a particularly striking addition to the Grizzlies' frontcourt. Despite questions about his defensive skills at the NBA level, Edey's offensive prowess is largely undisputed. He averaged over 25 points and 12 rebounds per game in his final year at Purdue, as Action News 5 points out, those numbers are nothing to scoff at.

In his senior year, Edey led the Boilermakers to the NCAA Tournament championship game and was pivotal in his team's success. "He became the first player to lead the nation in both total points and total rebounds since Hank Gathers in 1988-89 and tied the second-most free throw attempts in a season in NCAA history (436)," according to the NBA's official release. Edey's accomplishments don't end there; he carried his impressive collegiate form onto the international stage, helping the Canadian national team to its first World Cup medal since the 1936 Summer Olympics.

The Grizzlies and their fans, in due anticipation, are looking to see how Edey's game will transition to the pro level. "Every knows he is a gamer and will make his opportunity count," was reported in his draft analysis by 1075 The Fan. With his intimidating size and impressive track record, it's expected that Edey will immediately impose his will in the paint and potentially become a cornerstone for Memphis in the near future.