john leuzzi
·5 min read
Zach Edey is off to the NBA.
With the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies took the Purdue 7-foot-4 center in the first round of Wednesday night's draft. He is the second Purdue player to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft in three years, joining Jaden Ivy, the No. 5 pick of the 2022 NBA draft.
🗣️BIG DAWG 🗣️
WELCOME TO THE M @zach_edey 〽️@SouthlandGaming | #GrizzDraft24 pic.twitter.com/ytos2EffJS
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) June 27, 2024
REQUIRED READING: How much will 2024 NBA draft picks be paid? Rookie salary, contract details for first round picks
Edey was one of the most dominant players in college basketball the last two seasons. This past year for the Boilermakers, he averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 62.3% from the field this year. He became the first player since the late great Bill Walton to sweep all major national player of the year awards in consecutive seasons, including the Naismith and Associated Press National Player of the Year awards.
The Canadian forward was ESPN's No. 16 ranked prospect in this year's NBA draft class. Considering Edey's popularity in college and his unique skillset as a player, the Grizzlies' selection of Edey received a rather positive reaction from both college basketball and NBA fans:
REQUIRED READING: Zach Edey salary, contract in NBA: How much will Purdue center make after going No. 9 to Memphis?
Zach Edey to the Grizzlies in 2024 NBA Draft: Basketball world reacts
Here's a snippet of reactions on social media of the Grizzlies taking Edey with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft:
Round 1️⃣, Pick 9️⃣.@zach_edey is off to @memgrizz! pic.twitter.com/wD8OSSqY5F
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) June 27, 2024
Zach Edey is headed to Memphis 🐻
The back-to-back National Player of the Year goes off the board 🤩 pic.twitter.com/tYS2neDeTP
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) June 27, 2024
The Memphis Grizzlies are selecting Zach Edey
Hopefully this pick stands 😅
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 27, 2024
The biggest figures in Memphis history:
Elvis Presley
Tom Cruise in The Firm
Jerry "The King" Lawler
Gary Parrish
Zach Edey— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 27, 2024
Zach Edey is, by definition and achievement, a once-in-a-generation player. It's a great night for college AND the NBA that a traditional big—one of the only guys in history to win back-to-back NPOYs—gets taken so high in the modern game. The Grizzlies will not regret this pick.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) June 27, 2024
🗣️BIG DAWG 🗣️
WELCOME TO THE M @zach_edey 〽️@SouthlandGaming | #GrizzDraft24 pic.twitter.com/ytos2EffJS
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) June 27, 2024
So much for “no skill” “just tall” “undrafted” or “second-round at best”
Zach Edey proved the haters wrong and is LOTTO 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SKAsJ69KKB
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) June 27, 2024
Zach Edey ended up as a top 10 pick in the NBA Draft. An absolutely incredible rise after one of the best college careers we have ever seen.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) June 27, 2024
Zach Edey in the top ten, love it. Proven performer.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) June 27, 2024
The Grizzlies just drafted an absolute stud. 👀
Good luck in the @NBA, @zach_edey! #B1GMBBall x @BoilerBall pic.twitter.com/2rwUznkOde
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) June 27, 2024
JA MORANT AND ZACH EDEY IN MEMPHIS NEXT SEASON 🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/BX1xdH3G5s
— Buttcrack Sports (@ButtCrackSports) June 27, 2024
Memphis saved Rob Pelinka from drafting Zach Edey🙏 pic.twitter.com/r1IEG7hxiy
— ً (@cookedbylbj) June 27, 2024
Welcome to Memphis, Zach Edey! pic.twitter.com/MgJKZkhgPd
— ♥️ I Love Memphis Blog (@ilovememphis) June 27, 2024
Wow...Zach Edey at 9.
I'm no rocket surgeon 😉...but I do know...hard work...works.
And this kid has worked his ass off to make himself good. And maybe shut some people up.
Congrats Zach. 🇨🇦🏀 pic.twitter.com/UoffCXrv3p
— Tim Micallef (@tim_micallef) June 27, 2024
"There was a lot of smoke with the Grizzlies trying to move up get Clingan...ultimately they held firm."@MattNorlander on the Grizzlies selecting Zach Edey. pic.twitter.com/a4KeG2B4lC
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 27, 2024
Big Ten freshmen classes with two future top-10 draft picks:
1991-92 Michigan
— Chris Webber (1st in 1993)
— Juwan Howard (5th in 1994)2006-07 Ohio St.
— Greg Oden (1st in 2007)
— Mike Conley (4th in 2007)2020-21 Purdue
— Jaden Ivey (5th in 2022)
— Zach Edey (9th in 2024)— Jeremy Frank (@MLBRandomStats) June 27, 2024
Zach Edey is selected 9th overall by the @memgrizz in the 2024 #NBADraft presented by State Farm!
Watch on ABC & ESPN. pic.twitter.com/eAqSFcxzWK
— NBA (@NBA) June 27, 2024
"This is the most surprising pick so far, for me... I just didn't see him going this high." - Bob Myers reacts to the Memphis Grizzlies selecting Zach Edey with the No. 9 overall pick. #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/pqZ863h5JS
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 27, 2024
Zach Edey’s draft stock:
2023: Late 2nd to undrafted
2024: Picked 9th in draftIt’s hard to think of many players that completely changed their narrative year over year like Edey just did.
Truly remarkable 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/kYvEpl9KWb
— Jordan Stocks (@StockTalks21) June 27, 2024
Zach Edey.
No. 9 overall.
Wow.
Guy put in the work.
Paid off.— Michael DeCourcy (@tsnmike) June 27, 2024
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Zach Edey to Memphis: Reactions as Grizzlies take Purdue C in 2024 NBA Draft
