Do you believe in Zach Edey as a legit NBA prospect? What team should draft him?

[Im Still Ballin]

He has announced that he will not return to Purdue next season and will most likely declare for the 2024 NBA draft. He's had another all-time great college season and is a lock to win NPOY for the second year in a row. Zach's the first to do that since Ralph Sampson.

Several mock drafts have him in the first round, with ESPN having him as high as 13th. Player comparisons range from Boban to Zubac, and Yao Ming lite.

NBA Draft Room:

25th pick - Nuggets: Zach Edey C – Purdue (Canada) – HT: 7-3 1/4 – WT: 306 – WING: 7-10 1/2 – Sr –

Edey is a superstar in college but there are question marks about his game translating to the NBA. Can he defend at the NBA level and keep up with the speed of the game?

Comparison: Yao Ming lite, Boban+

ESPN:

13. Sacramento Kings

Zach Edey | Purdue | C | Age: 21.6

His measurables from the 2023 NBA combine are huge:

- 7'3.25" barefoot
- 9'7.50" standing reach
- 306.4 lbs
- 7'10.5" wingspan
- 26" standing vertical jump
- 29.5" running vertical jump

He also had really good 3/4 court sprint and lane agility numbers. He's way more mobile than people give him credit for.

Zach Edey 2023 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.37 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.45 seconds

Steven Adams 2014 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.85 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.40 seconds

Rudy Gobert 2014 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 12.85 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.57 seconds

Brook Lopez 2009 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 12.77 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.57 seconds

DeMarcus Cousins 2011 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.40 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.55 seconds

Hassan Whiteside 2011 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.83 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.54 seconds

Nikola Vucevic 2012 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 12.02 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.27 seconds

Bobby Portis 2016 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.78 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.56 seconds

Bam Adebayo 2018 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.94 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.24 seconds

Nicolas Claxton 2020 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.26 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.36 seconds

Xavier Tillman Sr 2021 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 11.80 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.49 seconds

To compare Edey to a true plodding Giant, check out Tacko Fall's numbers:

Tacko Fall 2020 NBA Combine:

Lane agility test: 13.01 seconds
3/4 court sprint test: 3.78 seconds

When it comes to mobility, Zach is much more like Adams, Lopez, and Gobert. And that was at 306 pounds a year ago. He dropped like 15 pounds and has been noticeably more mobile this season.

[iamgine]

Legit like Boban or Tcko Fall legit? Yeah.

[Im Still Ballin]

I think that there are a handful of teams that need a quality backup center. Someone who does the physical dirty work of setting screens, finishing plays, and rebounding. OKC, Denver, and LA are names that come to mind.

Hell, if I were running Washington, I'd take a gamble on Edey as a starter. It's a weak draft and he has a desirable skillset that can perhaps give them some toughness, size, and physicality inside. Which is what they lack. Hard to build a winning team when you don't have that rock in the paint doing the dirty work.

[Im Still Ballin]

Legit like Boban or Tcko Fall legit? Yeah.

He's way more mobile than either of them. Just a far superior athlete regarding overall athleticism. He's much more like Brook Lopez, Steven Adams, and Rudy Gobert athletically speaking.

[iamgine]

After seeing his tape I guess he can be late 80s Kareem.

[tontoz]

I watched him for one game and lost interest quickly. His lack of rim protection should be a major red flag.

[Xiao Yao You]

He's way more mobile than either of them. Just a far superior athlete regarding overall athleticism. He's much more like Brook Lopez, Steven Adams, and Rudy Gobert athletically speaking.

If he's a mobile as Gobert he's got a chance.

[Im Still Ballin]

I watched him for one game and lost interest quickly. His lack of rim protection should be a major red flag.

I don't know if rim protection is what'll potentially hold him back at the next level. He looks like an above-average rim protector to me. He has good general technique and as a result he doesn't foul often. Not to mention his measurables are off the charts. He has a 7'10.5" wingspan, a 9'7.5" standing reach, and a nearly 30" vertical jump. And a massive 300+ pound frame that'd immediately make him the strongest guy in the league.

It's the quick leaping, foot speed, and lateral movement that holds him back. But I don't think he'll be any worse than a number of current NBA centers, like Zubac, Adams, Looney, Robinson, Vucevic, and more. He may even be really great; maybe on the level of Porzingis or Brook Lopez.

[tontoz]

I don't know if rim protection is what'll potentially hold him back at the next level. He looks like an above-average rim protector to me. He has good general technique and as a result he doesn't foul often. Not to mention his measurables are off the charts. He has a 7'10.5" wingspan, a 9'7.5" standing reach, and a nearly 30" vertical jump.

It's the quick leaping, foot speed, and lateral movement that holds him back. But I don't think he'll be any worse than a number of current NBA centers, like Zubac, Adams, Looney, Robinson, Vucevic, and more. He may even be really great; maybe on the level of Porzingis or Brook Lopez.

Have you actually watched him play a full game?