Rookie center Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies turned heads during the preseason with impressive showing after impressive showing. That has quieted critics who questioned whether he would be able to thrive in the NBA given his size and perceived lack of mobility.
He has done so by showing off an impressive array of offensive skill in the paint, including utilizing drop steps to shake his man in the post or using turnaround jump hooks to effectively score near the rim. His play has even impressed two NBA legends, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett with them talking about him on their All the Smoke podcast.
Garnett even jokingly compared him to a young Kareem Abdul-Jabbar due to Edey's effectiveness shooting hook shots. It is encouraging to hear a Hall of Fame big man praise a rookie center, especially for Grizzlies fans who have had to listen to criticisms of Edey since his summer draft selection.
Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey is quickly proving critics wrong with his strong play.
With Edey showing that he can make an immediate impact, he should be able to play big minutes for the Grizzlies. For a rookie to play a big role on a playoff team would be huge for Memphis, who needed a starting center entering the offseason.
His size in the paint should serve as a rim deterrent, with him being one of the biggest players in the league at 7'4 and with a 7'11 wingspan. There are concerns about how he defends away from the rim, but Memphis has other players such as Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. who can help Edey.
Edey’s jump hook is a profoundly devastating (and low-key beautiful) signature shot pic.twitter.com/GSwZaWVqt2
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) October 15, 2024
Edey will give the Grizzlies a different look on offense with them being able to throw the ball into him in the post and having Edey give them high percentage shots. He could also be an effective roll man in pick-and-roll situations with Ja Morant, with him being an easy target to find cutting to the basket. Edey isn't the most athletic player but should feast on lobs for buckets.
Even things such as offensive rebounding could make him a viable addition to the Grizzlies. After they missed the playoffs last season with Morant starting the season suspended and then after suffering an injury, the Grizzlies look reloaded heading into 2024-25.
Better still, while Edey is ready to play now, he still has some upside and is on a comparatively cheap rookie-scale contract. That should keep the young Grizzlies from hitting a wall in the foreseeable future and could soon make Edey one of the better centers in the NBA.