Zach Edey Withdraws from 2023 NBA Draft, Will Return to Purdue
One of the more intriguing draft prospects in the cycle due to his uncanny height at 7-foot-4, Zach Edey officially withdrew his name from draft consideration on Wednesday and will return to Purdue.
Edey, the 2023 National Player of the Year, is now returning to college from the draft process for the second straight season, and will look to anchor another strong Boilermaker squad that is sure to make noise on the national stage.
Purdue was ranked as the top team in the country for stretches last season, but was ultimately upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, becoming just the second 1-seed ever to be upset in the round of 64. The upset could have played a small role in Edey returning to Purdue, who is sure to be ranked within the top-five prior to the 2023-24 collegiate season.
In his junior season he averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 61 percent from the floor.
Edey continues to inch closer to becoming a legitimate NBA Draft pick, improving in areas of his game year in and year out. If he can continue to dominate the collegiate level and add wrinkles to his game here and there, he could very well work his way into first round contention for the 2024 NBA Draft. He was graded as a mid to late-second rounder in the 2023 NBA Draft by most experts.
The 2023 NBA Draft will kick off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 22.
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