Zach Edey Tabbed by League Executives to Win 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year

The Memphis Grizzlies could see No. 9 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Zach Edey, be the league's Rookie of the Year.

Zach Edey, a first-round draft pick for the Grizzlies, smiles during a press conference to introduce the team’s 2024 NBA Draft picks at FedExForum on Friday, June 28, 2024. / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The NBA season is right around the corner and that means it is time for everyone to chime in with their predictions and takes. The latest comes from ESPN in their annual General Manager survey, which polls top executives on burning questions that wil shape the 2024-25 NBA campain.

One of the questions asked of the executives was which rookie would win the Rookie of the Year Award. This is by far the most wide-open year for this hardware in recent memory. With no clear-cut, slam-dunk No. 1 overall pick, this 2024 NBA Draft Class lacks a shoe in Rookie of the Year Winner.

That sentiment was evident in the NBA General Manager survey, as the decision-makers labeled Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey as the 2024 Rookie of the Year, garnering eight votes. That was by far one of the most contested results as Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard posted five votes. Alex Sarr grabbed two votes with Stephon Castle, Tristan da Silvia and Rob Dillingham each seeing a vote cast for them.

Despite the lack of consensus, Edey should be the popular pick on the betting market as his pathway to the hardware is simply the easiest. At every level the 7-foot-4 center has put up massive counting stats, and playing alongside Ja Morant, that expects to keep up as they are poised to be a lethal two-man game.

On top of the flashes box score hauling in rebounds and being spoonfed buckets alongside Morant and company, the Memphis Grizzlies are poised to be one of the top stories in the league. After a discombobulated 27-win season a year ago, many expect the Beale Street Ballers to be back near the top of the West.

Edey would need to play a massive part in pulling Memphis that off. This would give the rookie center a strong case to win Rookie of the Year which would be hard to match.

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