The Memphis Grizzlies have selected center Zach Edey of Toronto, Ontario ninth overall in the 2024 National Basketball Association Draft on Wednesday. For the franchise that was once the Vancouver Grizzlies, they now have two Canadians on their roster. The other is power forward Brandon Clarke of Vancouver, British Columbia.
It is interesting that Edey did not attend the draft in Brooklyn, New York. Instead, he stayed behind at Purdue University and attended a draft party for him at Lafayette, Indiana.
Edey was the fourth player born outside the United States taken in the draft. He was selected behind three players from France–small forward Zaccharie Risacher (first overall by the Atlanta Hawks), center Alex Sarr (second overall by the Washington Wizards), and small forward Tidjane Salaun (sixth overall by the Charlotte Hornets).
Edey was the first National Collegiate Athletic Association senior taken in the NBA Draft and the third center. He was drafted behind Sarr, and Donovan Clingan of Bristol, Connecticut, as the University of Connecticut sophomore was selected seventh overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. Ironically it was the Huskies that beat Edey’s University of Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 in the 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game.
This past season at Purdue, Edey averaged 25.2 points per game, 12.2 rebounds per game, 2.2 blocks per game, and two assists per game. He had a field goal percentage of .623, three-point percentage of .500, and free throw percentage of .711.
