Zach Edey Proud of His 'Growth as a Leader' During Purdue Career

Zach Edey improved in so many ways as a basketball player during his time at Purdue. But the 7-foot-4 center said he's proudest of his growth as a leader during his four-year career with the Boilermakers.

Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA

Zach Edey developed in a number of ways during his four-year career at Purdue. He went from a no-name recruit to a back-to-back National Player of the Year award winner. But the 7-foot-4 center revealed that his growth as a leader is really what helped him become such a great player.

Edey, who is now preparing for the 2024 NBA Draft, sat down with Big Ten Network analyst and college basketball insider Andy Katz to talk about his time at Purdue. That's when the two-time Big Ten regular season champion discussed his improvement as a leader while in West Lafayette.

"I think my growth as a leader is what I'm most proud of. I had never really been that guy on a team before I got to Purdue," Edey said. "My freshman year, it was a process — my freshman year I wasn't the guy. My sophomore year I had a bigger role and then my junior year it was my team. And I had never really dealt with that before.

"I was getting comfortable with it my junior year and then my senior year I got fully comfortable with it. Then i kind of understood who I am as a leader and what type of leadership style best fits me."

.@TheAndyKatz sat down with 2x National College Player of the Year Zach Edey to discuss his basketball journey!

Get to know the 2024 NBA Draft prospect ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/qmdy1ryJao

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 30, 2024

Edey proved to be a great leader for the Boilermakers during his final two seasons in West Lafayette. He led Purdue to back-to-back Big Ten regular season championships (2023, 2024), a Big Ten Tournament title (2023) and a trip to the National Championship Game (2024).

The 7-footer also leaves West Lafayette as Purdue's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. As a two-time All-American selection, Edey's name and No. 15 are already hanging in the rafters of Mackey Arena.

Now, Edey is hoping to take everything he learned to the next level. After a strong showing at the NBA Scouting Combine, he's almost assured to hear his name called in the first round of the NBA Draft on June 26.

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