Grizzlies’ Rookie Sees Best Professional Game Yet Against Bulls

Memphis big man Zach Edey saw an all-around performance in Chicago Saturday.

Oct 12, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) goes to the basket against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images

Off the heels of a pair of underwhelming preseason performances, Grizzlies center Zach Edey saw the best professional game of his new career on Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls.

At 7-foot-4 with a towering frame, Edey was long thought of as nothing more than an excellent collegiate player, falling into the trope that many talented college bigs do. But in final season with the Purdue Boilermakers — one that yielded a national championship appearance — he earned real NBA Draft acclaim, eventually becoming the No. 9 pick at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies.

The team’s nabbing of Edey made sense, as there’s a hole at the five spot that Edey fits well. So much so, that he’s projected to start alongside the team’s proven core of star Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Edey scored 16 points in his first two games combined, shooting just 2-for-8 in his second contest. In Saturday’s night’s game against the Bulls, the Canadian finally saw a game worthy of his illustrious collegiate resume.

In just 22 minutes, Edey stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks while finishing as a +7 in the starting lineup. He wasn’t flanked by the team’s starters, but still flowed fairly seamlessly within the offense.

His first strong pro performances couldn’t have come at a better time, as the team is set to kick off its 2024-25 regular season in just a few short weeks. Memphis next takes on the Pacers on Monday, Oct. 14. They’ll open their regular season against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

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