Edey has been unstoppable for the last week, and has several draft experts questioning their processes for a player who dominated at the college level but slipped down draft boards. Reportedly, even the Grizzlies tried to trade up to draft current Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan before taking Edey with the 9th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft.
While Clingan is having a good year in his own right, the Grizzlies are satisfied with the development of Edey in his second season. Not counting the Nuggets game when Edey only played six minutes due to a migraine, the 7'4" big man has averaged 17.8 points (70.3 FG%), 16.2 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks in 30.4 minutes in his last five games.
His performance was so impressive in the last week that he received an acknowledgement for a prestigious NBA honor that will only continue to increase the hype that he is starting to get.
Edey received nominations for Western Conference Player of the Week
Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, and Austin Reaves were the other nominees for the week of November 24-30, with Doncic ultimately winning the honors. Zach Edey being included in that group of not only highly NBA players, but all perimeter players as the best player in the Western Conference for the last week is a surprise that the Grizzlies likely didn't even know he had in him.
Zach Edey posted career highs with 32 points and five blocks, to go along with 17 rebounds in 29 minutes in their win at Sacramento on November 30, which made history. Edey not only became the first player in franchise history with 30+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ blocks in a game, but he also became the first player in NBA history to post a 32-17-5 stat line in under 30 minutes. He also became the first player since Shaquille O'Neal to post those numbers on 80+ FG% in a game.
That week also saw Edey post a staggering +53.2 on/off-court net rating, showing he was arguably the most impactful player in the NBA during the week… Edey posted a 49.9 on/off-court defensive rating during the week, including an 88.8 on-court defensive rating (which was 2nd in the West among players with at least three games played)
He began the new week with 19 points and 15 rebounds against the Spurs to continue his streak of 15+ rebound games in games that he finished (5). While Edey's rise is a surprise, it probably shouldn't have been, after all that he accomplished in his decorated college career at Purdue. Now the Grizzlies are reaping the rewards for taking a chance on him.