Zach Edey: The next big thing in the NBA?
Contents
Zach Edey is a name that has been on the rise in the NBA world. Some are even calling him the next big thing. But who is Zach Edey and what makes him so special?
Zach Edey’s basketball career
Zach Edey is a Canadian professional basketball player who is currently signed to the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers. Edey was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. He played high school basketball for Pickering High School.
His high school career
Zach Edey, a 7-foot-3 center from Toronto, Canada, just finished his senior year at The Hill Academy in Vaughn, Ontario. Edey is one of the top recruits in the Class of 2020 and is headed to Indiana University next season.
Edey first started to gain attention as a freshman at The Hill Academy, where he helped lead the team to a 29-2 record and a No. 2 ranking in Canada. He averaged 14.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game while being named the Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) Rookie of the Year.
Edey’s sophomore season was even better, as he averaged 18.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game while leading The Hill Academy to a 30-1 record and another No. 2 ranking in Canada. He was once again named the OBA Rookie of the Year and was also named a First Team All-Canadian by CBCSports.ca
Edey continued his strong play as a junior, averaging 19.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game while leading The Hill Academy to a 25-4 record and another No. 2 ranking in Canada. He was named the OBA Player of the Year and was also named a First Team All-Canadian for the second straight year by CBCSports
His college career
Zach Edey played college basketball for the University of Pittsburgh. He was a four-star recruit and was rated as the No. 44 player in the nation by ESPN. As a freshman, Zach averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds per game while appearing in all 33 games. He saw his role increase as a sophomore, starting 31 of 32 games. He averaged 11 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks per game while shooting 60% from the field. His junior year was his best year as he averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks per game while shooting 62% from the field. After his junior year, he declared for the NBA Draft.
His potential in the NBA
Zach Edey is a sophomore at the University of Indiana. He is a 7-foot-2 center who averaged 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 70.2% from the field and 80.6% from the free throw line. He is currently projected to be a late first round pick or a second round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
His size
At 6-foot-11 and 260 pounds, Zach Edey has the size of an NBA center. But he also has the speed and athleticism of a smaller player. That combination makes him a tough matchup for opponents.
His shooting
Edey is a big man who can shoot. He has range out to the three-point line and is a very good mid-range shooter. He shot 48 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point range last season. He has a quick release and is a very good free throw shooter.
Edey is also a very good rebounder. He averaged 9.2 rebounds per game last season. He has the ability to block shots, averaging 2.4 blocks per game last season.
Edey has the potential to be a very good player in the NBA. He has the size, shooting ability, and rebounding ability that NBA teams are looking for in a big man
His athleticism
Zach Edey is an incredible athlete. At 7’4”, he has the size and length to play center at the highest level. But he’s not just a big body – he’s also incredibly quick and agile for his size. He ran a 4.8-second 40-yard dash at the Hoop Summit, which is unheard of for a player his size.
His role on the Indiana Pacers
Zach Edey has been turning heads since he was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the 2020 NBA Draft. The 7-foot-2 center has been praised for his shooting touch and his ability to stretch the floor. He’s also a very good rebounder and shot blocker. Some people have even said that he has the potential to be the next big thing in the NBA. Let’s take a closer look at his game and see why people are so high on him.
His minutes
Zach Edey played sparingly as a rookie, averaging 5.4 minutes in 11 games for the Indiana Pacers. It’s not unusual for rookies to have a limited role on an NBA team, but many believed that Edey had the potential to be a future star. With his size (7-foot-4, 250 pounds) and shooting touch (he shot 58.3 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line), Edey has the rare combination of skills that could make him a successful NBA player.
Edey showed glimpses of his potential in his limited minutes, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in his 11 games. He also had one of the best games of his young career in a win against the Atlanta Hawks, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds in just 12 minutes of action.
The Pacers are hopeful that Edey can develop into a significant contributor in the future, and they are patient with his development. With more playing time, Edey has the chance to blossom into one of the NBA’s next big things.
His stats
Edey, a 7-foot-4 center, played his freshman season at IU last year. He averaged 10.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 25 games (22 starts). He shot 56.9 percent from the field and 71.1 percent from the free throw line. His per-40 minute averages were 17.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.6 blocks.
His future in the NBA
Zach Edey is a name that not a lot of people know right now, but that could very well change in the near future. The 7-foot-2 center from Canada is currently playing for the University of Indiana, but he has already caught the eye of some big names in the NBA. With his size and skill set, he has the potential to be a very good player in the league.
His potential All-Star appearances
It is safe to say that Zach Edey has a very bright future in the NBA. The young center out of Purdue University is currently projected to be a lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and many experts believe that he has the potential to be an All-Star caliber player in the league.
Edey has a rare combination of size, strength, and athleticism that allows him to dominate on both ends of the court. On offense, he is an extremely efficient scorer around the basket, and he has also shown the ability to knock down shots from mid-range and beyond the three-point line. On defense, Edey is an elite rim protector, and he also has the quickness and energy to guard players on the perimeter.
In his one season at Purdue, Edey averaged 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 59% from the field and 73% from the free throw line. He was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and he was also selected as a First Team All-American by multiple outlets.
There is no doubt that Zach Edey has All-Star potential in the NBA. He has all of the physical tools and skillset that you look for in a franchise player, and he has already shown that he can perform at a high level against top competition. It will be interesting to see how Edey develops over the next few years, but there is no reason to think that he won’t become one of the best players in the league.
His potential as an NBA champion
Zach Edey has all the potential to be an NBA champion. At just 20 years old, he already has the size (7’4”) and skill set that make him a dominant force on the court. He’s been compared to some of the greats, like Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain, and has even been called the “next big thing” in the NBA.
Edey is still early in his career, but he’s shown promise with his time on the court. In his rookie season, he averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds per game. But it was in his second season where he really started to shine, averaging 13 points and 5 rebounds per game. He even had a few games where he put up 20+ points and 10+ rebounds, showing that he has the potential to be a true star in the league.
There are a lot of great players in the NBA right now, but Edey has the potential to be one of the best. With his size, skill, and potential, he has all the makings of an NBA champion.