One thing that may prevent Zach Edey from running away with Rookie of the Year

With his rookie season set to officially begin in just a matter of weeks, Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey is one of the highest-profile first-year players in the NBA. Last season, for Purdue, Edey averaged a terrific 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game and was the National College Player of the Year for a second-straight season.

Despite his strong season, he was taken ninth overall, which was actually seen as a reach by some. Now, he will start for the Grizzlies, with the hope being that he can provide them with a much-needed starting center right out of the gate.

His size at 7'4 and wing span at 7'10 will definitely help, making him a big target on offense, as a roll man, as a lob threat, and as an offensive rebounder. Defensively, bigger is often better, with his size already causing problems at the rim with him either blocking or deterring shots.

One thing that may prevent Zach Edey from running away with Rookie of the Year

The main reason why Edey was not considered to be a top prospect was questions about his defensive versatility. While he is a big defensive deterrant at the rim, people have called into question his ability to guard away from the rim basket.

He isn't the fastest moving his feet laterally, and teams will probably try to attack him in the pick and roll. Then again, similar big men have made due by playing drop defense, which means they play out to around 15 feet and use their length and size to wall off the paint.

That won't work against players like Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, and Damian Lillard or other perimeter players who can shoot off the dribble, but it could work against most teams. They will also have Jaren Jackson Jr., who is a former Defensive Player of the Year, as is Marcus Smart, giving them plenty of defensive playmakers who can help him.

The Memphis Grizzlies need Zach Edey to play well as a rookie.

After a lost year in 2023-24, the Grizzlies are hoping that they can get right back to contending after previously being the second seed in the 2022-23 season. The trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jackson Jr. look a lot more formidable than they did back then. Bane and Jackson Jr. have leveled up, but with Memphis now becoming expensive, they will need Edey to pan out immediately.

After all, with him on his rookie-scale contract for the next four years, he could give them a dirt-cheap starter, providing them with more bang for their buck. His starting and playing around 30 minutes per game on a good team could give him the stats. It will also put plenty of eyes on him and potentially make him a frontrunner for the award but he will have competition.