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Is Zach Edey good, or is he just tall?
Well, the early returns from Edey’s Summer League debut for the Memphis Grizzlies suggest that former Purdue star might not be good, he might just be great.
Edey put up 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in his Summer League debut for Memphis on Monday night, including a last-second tip-in off a missed free throw to send the game to overtime.
“It’s great. I’m just trying to get comfortable, trying to learn the system, trying to learn how to play with everybody and getting comfortable on the NBA floor,” Edey said afterward.
Edey’s big game came against Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler, who has already established himself as one of the NBA’s best rim protectors.
“I just take it as a challenge,” he said of facing Kessler. “He’s a great player in the NBA. So (I’m) just taking that and trying to make the best out of it.”
Edey also caught the attention of fans with his contributions off the ball.
“Zach Edey can rely on a number of things in the NBA despite his ‘warts’ as a player. Hard screen setting, rebounding, interior shot blocking. Even if he’s not getting a lot of looks early. Positive NBA player. Was hard to argue against a fit like Memphis in the lottery,” @DraftDeeper tweeted.
His screen setting, in particular, had fans dreaming about his fit with Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant.
“Ja Morant is going to sprint at so many defenders off these Zach Edey screens and they are going to s— their pants because they have no idea what to do. If they jump, they die. If they get out of the way, easy bucket. Their choice,” said @CDunning929.
Edey is far from a finished product. And he’ll undoubtedly have to fine-tune his game to fit the NBA’s style of play. But he’s off to a fantastic start.