Zach Edey, Dalton Knecht Face Off in NBA Rookie Battle

The Grizzlies' center and Lakers' guard will face off in an NBA rookie battle tonight.

Nov 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey before action against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Two of the league’s top rookies — Grizzlies center Zach Edey and Lakers guard Dalton Knecht — will face off tonight in a matchup against one another.

Through a handful of games, both have done well for their respective teams, with Edey leading all rookies in a variety of stats, and Knecht doing well in his own right on a high-pressure, superstar-laden squad.

Through eight games, Edey has averaged a rookie-high 11.1 points per game while nabbing 6.5 rebounds and nearly one block. Knecht has scored a respectable 7.3 points in reserve for Los Angeles, knocking down 38% of his 3-pointers and adding 1.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

The two, of course, won’t see much time matched up together playing polar opposite positions. But they’ve both quickly become vital to their respective team’s winning efforts on a nightly basis. Perhaps uncoincidentally, they were the two oldest players taken in the lottery at the 2024 draft.

Edey will have his hands full with Lakers superstar Anthony Davis, whose current output seems near-MVP level. It will be a test, undoubtedly, for the 7-foot-4 behemoth, as Davis has hyper mobility packed inside his frame, able to score in beaucoup and put a lid on the rim.

Knecht will look to bounce back after a few quieter performances: just 10 points on 7 shots in his last two games. Most recently, he only played nine minutes in a loss to the Pistons, shooting 100% but failing to stay on-court in JJ Reddick’s rotation.

The Lakers and Grizzlies tip off at 7 p.m. CT tonight.

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