Sixers’ Nick Nurse Issues Major Praise for 2024 NBA Draft Prospect

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse had nothing but great things to say about Purdue's Zach Edey.

Apr 12, 2024; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse speaks at the podium during / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue standout Zach Edey has established himself as one of the most prominent names in the 2024 NBA Draft.

As the combine is underway out in Chicago, Edey is showcasing his talent beyond the NCAA stage, and recently garnered some praise from Philadelphia 76ers head coach, Nick Nurse.

As a former coach for the Canadian men’s national team, Nurse became familiar with Edey before he rose to stardom this past year.

Being that Edey is a Toronto-born big man, he had an opportunity to train with the Canadian team while Nurse was in charge of the roster, dating back to his days as the head coach of the Raptors.

Based on what he knows about Edey, Nurse had nothing but great things to say about the incoming rookie when he joined Colin Cowherd on ‘The Herd’ this week.

“I love him,” said Nurse. “He was 18 years old, and we were in our first training camp, and we needed some of our young kids there, and we had about four or five of them, and our guys didn’t know what to do with him. Couldn’t stop him. Forget this kid going to play in the under 18 world championship, let’s take him with our team. We didn’t do that that year, but I said, ‘Listen, this guy’s got to be part of our program.’ He’s certainly a problem. He’s super competitive. Really a super hard worker. He’s out there every day working. He’s out there every day playing. Like there’s a lot to like about this guy.”

Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) reaches in on Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY

Edey’s size is what stands out instantly. The 22-year-old stands at 7’4” tall. Using his height to his advantage, Edey was quite productive in the scoring department and on the glass during his time at Purdue.

Last year, Edey appeared in 39 games for Purdue. Spending around 32 minutes on the floor per game, Edey produced 25 points and 12 rebounds per outing.

Prior to his senior season, Edey posted similar stats, producing 22 points per game, while averaging a career-high 13 rebounds in 34 games.

Entering the 2024 NBA pre-draft activities, Edey was mostly projected to be a mid-to-late first-round selection. With a strong showing out in Chicago, the Purdue center is once again proving to teams that he might be worth a high-end investment.

Currently, the Sixers are expected to go on the clock with the 16th overall pick. While Philly is certainly a team that could trade out, Edey would be an interesting prospect if he’s still on the board beyond the lottery.

The star big man’s familiarity with Nurse could be a positive. And the Sixers could certainly use some depth and competition at the center position. The Sixers front office is likely to pursue another veteran center in free agency this summer, but they could use a developmental big.

Since Daryl Morey arrived in 2020, the Sixers spent three second-round picks on centers. Paul Reed is the only one who remains on board, as Charles Bassey was cut ahead of his sophomore effort, and Filip Petrusev was traded after his rookie debut.

A lot of factors could make a possible Edey-to-Philly situation unlikely to happen. But with Nurse speaking so highly of the Purdue center, it’s a scenario worth keeping in mind.