Even though a lot of critics blasted the Memphis Grizzlies decision to draft Zach Edey, the rookie big man has started proving them wrong in his Summer League debut. Among those who have been pleasantly surprised is Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.
Edey, the highly anticipated rookie center of the Grizzlies, made a remarkable debut in the NBA Summer League on Monday. The former Purdue standout and two-time National Player of the Year faced off against Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler and proved his worth.
The former Purdue star finished the game with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks, outperforming his counterpart. Contrary to concerns about Edey’s limited mobility and lack of outside shooting, the 7’4″ center showcased his versatility by setting effective screens, distributing the ball well, and dominating on the offensive end, proving he can be impactful without constantly posting up and clogging the paint.
Defensively, Edey excelled in drop coverage, blocking and altering shots at a high level. While he may struggle against certain matchups in pick-and-roll defense, the Grizzlies can effectively rotate him, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Brandon Clarke in the frontcourt to mitigate the issue.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Guard Donovan Mitchell Reacts To Crazy Zach Edey Move
After his Summer League debut, Edey won new people to his cause. Among them was Cleveland’s Mitchell when he reacted positively to a defensive play the rookie made against the Jazz, which can be seen in a video shared by Memphis’ official account on X.
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH#HotGrizzSummer pic.twitter.com/byaqMquZFe
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) July 9, 2024
“I can’t believe that worked 😂😂 #NBASummerLeague,” Mitchell tweeted.
Early 2024 mock drafts projected the Purdue big man to go beyond the top 10 in the first round. Surprisingly, the Grizzlies selected him using the ninth pick, which caused some sports analyst to wonder how he will fit within the Ja Morant-led team‘s system, especially since he can’t space the floor by shooting three-pointers.
Despite being part of a draft class considered weak, Edey’s performance in his Summer League debut has been a promising start to his NBA career with the Grizzlies. As evidenced by Mitchell’s reaction, it looks like the rookie’s future in the league is becoming brighter as the big man is about to make his presence known when the 2024-25 season starts.
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