The Los Angeles Lakers have now gotten two looks at the Memphis Grizzlies in their first 11 games, splitting the matchups evenly. Anthony Davis sat out the first game, however, so Wednesday night marked the first time he got a look at one of the most polarizing draft picks from the 2024 NBA Draft in big man Zach Edey.
Edey, the towering 7-foot-4-inch and 22-year-old center, was one of the best players in all of college basketball over the last four years. He won the AP Player of the Year award — signaling the best player in the sport — in both his junior and senior campaigns. However, many felt his lack of speed and traditional play style would not translate to the NBA.
The Grizzlies didn’t overthink it, taking Edey with the No. 9 overall pick in June’s draft. And the early returns have been great. He is averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds on 62.2% from the field through his first 12 games and has been impactful both as a starter and off the bench.
Davis spoke about what it’s like to face off against Edey and gave an assessment of the rookie based on what he saw when matched up with him for the first time.
“He’s a big body. He’s 7’4. Anytime you have a guy like that, it brings your awareness up, especially on the rebounding. He made a couple shots over me.
“And then you go to Friday against another guy in Wemby. These guys are extremely tall, so you definitely have to put your work in a little early trying to push him out. But Edey is gonna be a good player in this league, for sure.”
Edey had 12 points and eight rebounds — four offensive — against the Lakers on Wednesday night and had eight points and seven rebounds in their previous meeting when Davis was out. Davis presents one of the hardest matchups in the league for Edey, but he has held his own relatively well.
One more knock on Edey was that many saw him as a finished product with not much room for growth. But he is already showing improvement at the NBA level, and with the skillset he has, he should be able to grow even more on both ends of the court.
Lakers being met with closed doors in trade talks
Anthony Davis got such a close look at Zach Edey on Wednesday night because he was the only available center on the roster not on a two-way contract. Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood are both out with injury, leaving Davis with a heavy burden to shoulder.
It’s not helping, though, that the Lakers are reportedly being met with closed doors when they try to engage teams in trade talks.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
