The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a disastrous 27-55 campaign despite coming off two consecutive 50-win seasons. With Ja Morant playing only nine games and the team being throttled frequently by injuries to key players, it quickly became a lost season.
The prize for the Grizzlies’ misfortunes in 2023-24 was landing the 9th overall pick in the NBA Draft—leading to the selection of Zach Edey. The 7-foot-4 center is coming off a standout college career at Purdue that included being a two-time National College Player of the Year, where he dominated the Big Ten and led his team to the National Championship Game. He faces lofty expectations and has never been one to shy away from challenges. Upon being drafted, he made it clear that the perception of him as an underdog only fuels his drive to succeed.
“Just being an underdog, it provides so much motivation,” Edey told reporters in June. “People can keep trying to tell you who you are, people who don’t know me. It just adds fuel to the fire. I don’t even pay attention to it anymore; I just let it fuel me, and then you see it come out on the basketball court.”
Similar to the Dallas Mavericks having plenty of established talent and landing Dereck Lively II in the NBA Draft Lottery in 2023, Edey is in a favorable position to succeed as a rookie. Amid a weaker-than-usual draft class, Edey has defied expectations by becoming the preseason favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year on DraftKings Sportsbook—a distinction no player outside the top five has held since odds for this award began being made available in 2018.
Edey Can Fill a Need for Grizzlies
One of the Grizzlies’ most exciting storylines heading into the season is the potential on-court partnership between Edey and Morant. The two have already begun building chemistry, with workouts together in August at Southern Methodist University that gave Grizzlies fans a glimpse of what to expect. In one of the workout videos shared by Morant, Edey is seen working out of pick-and-roll before throwing down an alley-oop dunk—a tandem that could make this a regular sight at FedEx Forum this season.
“It’s exciting. Being able to play with Ja, I think he’s the best in the league,” Edey said about getting to play with Morant after being drafted. “Having that pressure offensively and doing the things that he does just makes my life that much easier.”
This budding chemistry between Edey and Morant could be pivotal for the Grizzlies’ success this season, especially with Edey’s size and finishing ability being weaponized by setting strong screens to create paint-finishing chances for himself and take pressure off Morant to attack. Morant’s playmaking, combined with Edey’s size and presence in the paint, has the potential to be a lethal combination.
Memphis has faced a significant void at center since moving on from Steven Adams—creating an opportunity for Edey to immediately fill a significant role. Throughout this current era of Grizzlies basketball, they’ve thrived when former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. can leverage his versatility alongside a bruising center in the paint—helping to overshadow his deficiencies as a rebounder while allowing him to guard in space and make plays in space.
Jackson has already spoken highly of Edey’s potential, teasing some of his abilities during a recent interview with Grind City Media but keeping details under wraps, saying, “I don’t even want to spill his stuff. I want him to do his own rollout of his own thing. But trust me, he’s got some tricks up his sleeve.”
Desmond Bane is another helpful talent that Edey will get to play alongside. The sharpshooter displayed impressive growth in the void of Morant’s absence last season, averaging 23.7 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.4 rebounds. The defense cannot afford to leave him open, making it much more challenging to handle Edey.
Based on what Edey showed at Purdue, Bane envisions him replacing a lot of what Adams provided, “I think it’s going to be a good fit,” Bane said in August, via Memphis Commercial Appeal. “Obviously we lost (Adams). He replaces a lot of things we lost with him and then some.”
All of these factors tie into the Grizzlies being expected to experience a significant increase in wins this season. The over/under for wins is set at 47.5 for Memphis on DraftKings Sportsbook, at -110 for both the over and under. The availability and impact Morant provides will be a significant factor—positioning him 10th in preseason MVP odds at +3000.
Leading a Competitive Rookie Class
Edey may be the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, but it comes with significant competition. Other top contenders on DraftKings Sportsbook include Reed Sheppard (+700), Zacharie Risacher (+750), and Alexandre Sarr (+900). Players like Stephon Castle, Matas Buzelis, and Dalton Knecht, all at +1000, will also be in the running.
What sets Edey apart from his peers is his immediate fit with the Grizzlies and the unique role he will play on a contending team. While others may need time to adjust or earn minutes, Edey is in a position to contribute to winning basketball right away, with a defined role that complements the talents of Memphis’ star players.
With Morant running the offense, Jackson helping to anchor the defense, and Edey holding down the paint, the Grizzlies have a strong core that could propel the young center to Rookie of the Year honors.
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