3 ways Grizzlies center Zach Edey can win 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year

Expectations are astronomically high for the likes of Memphis Grizzlies lottery-selected big man, Zach Edey heading into 2024-25.

Despite coming into the association widely panned as a prospect, with some going as far as to call the decision by GM Zach Kleiman to snatch him up ninth overall as being "one of the worst" in league history, following an impressive, albeit limited run in Summer League it appears his perception has taken a 180 turn.

With just over a month to go until the kick-off to training camp, Edey's stock has risen so high that he's now being penciled in as the favorite to win this year's Rookie of the Year award, according to a recent ESPN survey including coaches, executives, and scouts strewn across the league.

Though it's certainly far too early to properly predict how any of the upcoming award races will wind up shaking out come the campaign's end, should all go well it's hard to envision the 7-foot-4 behemoth not being in the running for the illustrious moniker, and there are a few factors, in particular, that just might help improve his odds of winning it all.

How Grizzlies center Zach Edey can win 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year

1. Pace all rookies in rebounds & blocks

Though he may be coming into the association fresh off two straight AP Player of the Year awards while boasting scoring averages of 23.8 points on 61.6 percent shooting since 2022-23, the Grizzlies did not draft Zach Edey to take on a major offensive role within coach Taylor Jenkins' rotation.

Considering they already have the likes of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and GG Jackson in tow, they're good on this front.

Instead, what Memphis needs is someone who can take over for the likes of former franchise five Steven Adams and, in turn, provide similar intangibles to what he did throughout his Grind City tenure, namely when it comes to the rebound and rim-protection aspect of the game.

Edey showed throughout his tenure with the Boilermakers that while he can dominate in the post when it comes to scoring, he's also an elite presence down low when it relates to pulling down boards and swatting shots, especially during his final two seasons where he registered 12.5 and 2.1, respectively, on a nightly basis.

On top of this, he also finished his Purdue career with an astonishing offensive rebound rate of 19.3 percent as well as a stellar defensive rating of 95.9.

Considering these will likely be his two main focuses on a team flush with scoring galore, bringing these specific high-end efforts to the big leagues shouldn't be all that hard for Edey to do, especially when it comes to someone of his sature.

With this in mind, leading all rookies in rebounds and blocks should be expected of him coming into year one.

2. Play in 65+ games

While his status as an on-court contributor may be on the upswing following his impressive play in this year's Summer League, what also seems to be rising are concerns regarding his body holding up at the professional level.

Though injuries didn't seem to be a big issue for the center during his collegiate days, as he averaged roughly 34.5 games in four years at Purdue, already at the NBA stage it seems to have popped its fat, ugly head into the conversation, as he was limited to just two games total, and one full game played in the offseason tournament as a result of a few nagging ailments.

What's particularly concerning about this is the fact that they were all related to lower-body injuries, which, throughout history, have crushed players measuring in at 7 feet or taller.

Of course, as he showed during his limited time on the floor, he can make a serious impact with his play when seeing action, and this is only strengthened by the fact that he's now a ROY favorite even after such a short sample size.

For him to flaunt his abilities, he needs to show that he can remain available.

Not only would him playing 65 or more games provide ample opportunity for him to display his difference-making talents, but, due to the league's updated policies, it's also the minimum number permitted for a player to be eligible to win the award.

3. The Grizzlies make it back to the playoffs, and Edey's a reason why

The theme of this coming season is redemption.

Prior to their injury-riddled 2023-24 campaign, the Memphis Grizzlies were seen in a similar light to what the OKC Thunder currently are: A young and highly talented up-and-coming team who just finished their season as a top-two seed in the Western Conference and saw their first semifinal appearance in several years.

Unfortunately, due to their seventh-worst record in the association at 27-55, it seems many appear to be suffering from short-term memory when it relates to just how elite this franchise was proving itself to be before being derailed based on things largely out of their control.

Now, heading into 2024-25, the mission is likely to reestablish themselves as a top dog out in the highly competitive Western Conference by making their way through the regular season with both a winning and playoff-clinching record.

While getting their core back to full strength will be a major aid in them accomplishing such an objective, what better way for them to bounce back than having the player you got as a consolation prize for their gap year in Zach Edey serve in a key role?

Be it as a starter or a regular rotation player off the pine, should the 22-year-old show his impact on this hungry and highly-motivated Grizzlies team looking to go from rags back to riches, the narrative of his arrival would absolutely be overwhelmingly positive, as voters for these major awards always love a good narrative when placing their ballots.