How Grizzlies’ Zach Edey Fared Versus the Rockets

Zach Edey bounced back from his disappointing NBA Debut on Friday night.

Oct 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) shoots the ball over Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After fouling out in his first-ever NBA action, Zach Edey somewhat bounced back in a tough matchup against the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Edey, the team’s newest rookie drafted at No. 9 in 2024, again started alongside Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marcus Smart, this time making sure to foul less.

In a much-better 23 minutes, Edey finished with 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting, adding nine rebounds, one steal and one block. He did pick up four fouls in 16 minutes. But it was progress, at least, from his early exit versus the Jazz.

In his first game, Edey manufactured six fouls in just 15 minutes, feeding into the numerous negative scouting reports that called out slow foot speed, bad defensive form and an inflexible game overall. He was able to add five points and five rebounds, but was largely a negative for Grizzlies in their opening win.

While Friday’s game didn’t necessarily blow anyone away statistically, he was at least able to stay on the court and work his way towards some consistency.

The Grizzlies ultimately didn't come away with the win — a rather unfortunate outcome given Houston will be vying for similar spots in the Western Conference — but Edey's performance was at least encouraging.

The Grizzlies next take on the Magic at 6 p.m. tomorrow in their first back-to-back of the season. Orlando will also present a tough challenge at the five spot with a mix of Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze in reserve.

Luckily for Edey, that should be his easiest challenge yet as he continues to acclimate to the big leagues.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.