Zach Edey had a stellar performance in his hometown, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a convincing victory over the Toronto Raptors. The rookie big man showcased his talent with a double-double and continued his recent impressive run of games.
Zach Edey took a moment to appreciate the energy of the crowd at Scotiabank Arena before the game, soaking in the atmosphere of playing in his hometown of Toronto. Nearly a hundred of his friends and family were watching as he, and the Memphis Grizzlies , dominated the Toronto Raptors , winning 138-107 on Wednesday. Edey contributed 13 points and 15 rebounds, marking his eighth double-double of the rookie season and the third in a row.
'I was more excited than nervous, I think,' said Edey in the visitors' locker room after the game. 'Cool to be back home, my one time per year. I've got to enjoy it.' Edey has been consistently delivering strong performances lately, also putting up 14 points and 11 rebounds in the Grizzlies' 132-119 victory in Milwaukee on Sunday, and 16 points and 14 rebounds in Memphis's 128-109 win over San Antonio. This season, he's averaging 9.8 points and 7.6 rebounds over 20.8 minutes per game. 'I'm just kind of trying to take it game by game, figure out how to do my thing this year,' said the 7-foot-4, 22-year-old who grew up in midtown Toronto. 'Take one game at a time, keep improving, get more comfortable.' Edey's dominant collegiate career saw him average 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and two assists over 39 games for the Purdue Boilermakers in the 2023-24 season. His overall NCAA career averages were 18.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.3 assists over four seasons with Purdue. His impressive performance earned him the Naismith Award on April 7, as U.S. college basketball's player of the year for a second time. He is only the third male player to win back-to-back Naismiths, joining Hall of Famers Ralph Sampson and Bill Walton. Still, many were surprised when the Memphis Grizzlies drafted him ninth overall last summer as some observers felt he was too slow and lacked the agility needed for a big man to be competitive in the NBA. However, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins believes Edey is just beginning to show his full potential. 'I know people had all kinds of question marks about what he was going to be able to do at this level defensively,' said Jenkins before Wednesday's game. 'With our system, protecting the paint, protecting the rim, trying to secure defensive rebounds, I think he really thrives in that. 'It's just a matter of adjusting to the speed, the physicality at times based off of the personnel he's going up against every night and then offensively, pace.' Edey expressed gratitude for being drafted into a team with a winning culture. The Grizzlies (35-16) are in the hunt for a playoff spot. 'That's what you want,' said Edey. 'You don't want to go through those years where you're trying to get a good pick. You want to go to a team where you're competing in meaningful games.
Zach Edey Memphis Grizzlies Toronto Raptors NBA Rookie Season Double-Double Naismith Award College Basketball
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