Zach Edey NBA Draft

Edey is no where near a draft board anywhere else it seems. We started him 20th in the summer mock because I felt like even then he would destroy college basketball and be the #1 player this season. I had him 2nd in the Preseason Player of The Year only because we thought Purdue didn’t have a good team around him, but that he’d put up such insane production you had to have him there. I believe even I underestimated his individual impact and defense.

He could end up being Boban in the NBA, it’s a totally plausible outcome. Honestly, I think Boban was a lot better than the chances he was given. Boban wrecked the NBA anytime he ever got to play or start. I don’t mind being wrong if I feel strongly about it, and so far everything I expected Edey has delivered. If he doesn’t get drafted highly, I still think he will make an impact in the NBA, and people will be wondering why they didn’t draft him.

Edey stands at a height of 7′-4″ and 285 pounds with a 7′-7′ wingspan, 20 shoe. He has the measurable s and most importantly only 20.4 years old, barely older than Brandon Miller or the Thompson Twins. He is putting up some of the most insane numbers in college basketball history. I don’t know how you pass on this guy. There are multiple players that are 285+ pounds which seems to be the knock contributing to his perimeter defense.

My counter to that would be Brook Lopez is 7-1, 285 and 35 years old, coming off back surgery and pretty slow on switches. Lopez is still the betting favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. If Lopez can impact defense like that why can’t Edey be passable? Lopez isn’t chasing guards and obviously, some defense can be used to play to Edey strengths around the rim, or at least hide the weaknesses. I think teams will regret passing on him. The way Edey shoots free throws I wouldn’t put it past him developing a 3 point shot like Brook Lopez developed at some point.

PER

Another reason why I feel so strongly about his NBA prospects is history. Edey currently has a 40.1 PER season going, which is simply another way to say stats. He’s posting insane stats. This coming off of a season where he posted a 40.9, although he didn’t play enough minutes to qualify. We always believed he’d have no issue replicating that if given a chance to play more. As long as he continues to wreck college basketball at a level almost no one but Zion Williamson did I’ll be on board.

Here are the top seasons in PER since 2009 posted by Power Conference players that have already graduated. Outside of Luka Garza, Vernon Carey, and Brice Johnson most of these players had successful NBA careers. Garza and Carey still have some time to turn their NBA careers around as well. Johnson might be the only outright failure. Edey is at a different level than really any of these players outside of Zion and Keegan Murray.

This group was just below.

There were also some pretty good nonpower conference players that posted big time stats and still have made an impact in the NBA.

The stats still matter, and there is a high correlation between posting elite seasons like this for a Power Conference team and having NBA success. Injuries at this his size are always a longterm concern but so far nothing has popped up that is problematic.