Tag: Zach Edey

NBA Mock Draft sees Bulls select Purdue big man Zach Edey with pick 11

In a recent NBA Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls pick Purdue’s Zach Edey with the 11th pick.

This offseason is an important one for the Chicago Bulls as they look to shake up their roster and move forward past their current core, which Arturas Karnisovas finally admitted isn’t working. As they plan for the future, the 2024 NBA Mock Draft will provide them a chance to add young talent. In No Ceilings’ latest mock draft, they have the Bulls selecting Purdue center Zach Edey with the 11th pick.

“Edey may not seem like a traditional home run swing, but for a team like Chicago that wants to stay competitive, Edey’s unique talents and tools could fit their play style and give them a weapon X of sorts,” wrote Corey Taluba.

The 7-foot-4 big man lost in the National Championship to UConn this past season. His last two years with the Boilermakers were nothing short of dominant.

Some question whether or not he’ll be effective at the NBA level, but Taluba believes the Bulls can afford to take on his unique style of play.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

The latest NBA mock draft from CBS has Zach Edey going very late in the first round to the Wizards

The Purdue big man may slide down draft boards.

Is Zach Edey a 2024 NBA lottery pick?

Most NBA mock drafts thus far have declared: No, he’s going outside the lottery. In the latest 2024 NBA mock draft from our Bryan Kalbrosky,  he’s got the two-time national college player of the year going 19th overall to the Toronto Raptors.

But in the latest 2024 mock from CBS Sports, Kyle Boone has Edey going No. 26 to the Washington Wizards, a move that makes some sense given how late the pick is for the rebuilding squad that lacks a young big man on the roster.

Here’s Boone’s take on why this would work for the Wizards:

In a head-to-head matchup with projected top-10 pick Donovan Clingan in the national championship game, Edey scored 37 points and showed why even the most capable defenders may have trouble slowing him in the NBA. He’s been the best player in college for two straight years and should get looks as early as the teens in this draft.

Interesting! Make sure to check out the latest 2024 NBA mock draft from Bryan Kalbrosky!

Zach Edey: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2002 | 7’4 | 7’10 WS | 300 LBS Team: Purdue Best aggregate mock draft rank: 13 / Worst rank: NR 2023-24 stats: In 2023-24, Edey averaged 24.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 0.3 steals per game. He shot 62.5 percent from the …

2002 | 7’4 | 7’10 WS | 300 LBS

Team: Purdue

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 13 / Worst rank: NR

2023-24 stats:

In 2023-24, Edey averaged 24.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 0.3 steals per game. He shot 62.5 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from three, and 71.1 percent from the foul line.

2-time NCAA Player of the Year Zach Edey declares for 2024 NBA draft

Edey became the first player in over 50 years to win to be named Player of the Year unanimously in consecutive seasons.

National Player of the Year Zach Edey told Jonathan Givony of ESPN on Tuesday that he had declared for the 2024 NBA draft after four years at Purdue University.

Edey led the Boilermakers to the national title game after averaging 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and two assists on 62.3% shooting from the field. He became the first player in over 50 years to win to be named Player of the Year unanimously in consecutive seasons.

The 7-footer leaves the program as the all-time career leader in points (2,516), rebounds (1,321), field goals (925) and field-goal percentage (62.1). He became the sixth player in history and the first since 1990 to finish with at least 2,516 points and 1,321 rebounds in a career.

Edey, who started playing basketball in 2017, is projected to be a first-round pick, given his ability to dominate in the paint and protect the rim. He is one of the most accomplished collegiate players in history and affected winning at a high level.

The 21-year-old will also be a step above his peers in terms of his experience. He helped Canada win the bronze medal last year in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, averaging 3.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in five games, and will likely be with the team again for the Olympics.

Edey is preparing for the pre-draft process; team workouts and interviews will take over the next several weeks. He proved himself to be one of the most dominant collegiate players in recent memory and looks to continue that success at the next level.

The 2024 NBA draft will occur June 26-27 in New York City.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=650262612]

Jay Bilas projects a successful NBA career for Zach Edey: ‘He is going to play a long time’

After a decorated college career at Purdue, two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey is set to move on and enter the NBA draft.

After a decorated four-year college career at Purdue University, two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey is set to move on and enter the 2024 NBA draft.

Edey will leave the program as the all-time career leader in points (2,516), rebounds (1,321), field goals (925) and field-goal percentage (62.1). He is the first player in Big Ten history to finish with 2,400 career points and 1,200 career rebounds.

With Edey transitioning to the NBA this year, his draft range has been the subject of debate. In a time when big men can stretch the floor, Edey is a traditional post player with limited range, which could negatively affect his stock.

However, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said Tuesday on the “Rich Eisen Show” that he believes Edey will be a first-round pick and have a successful career in the NBA.

He is going to play in the NBA, and as long as he stays healthy, he’ll play for a long time. … He is the most impactful player in America on the college level. I think that not only is there a place for him in the NBA, but there is also a significant place. The entire game has changed: No NBA team is all of a sudden going to turn into a low-post-centric offense.

It is still going to be an analytics game about the 3-point line and about attacking the rim, but to have a player like that on your team, he is going to play a long time. This year’s draft isn’t as powerful as last year’s — there is no (Victor) Wembanyama in this draft, and nobody you’d say is a transformational talent, but there is a lot of talent. I look at him being a top-15 or top-20 pick.

Edey led the Boilermakers to the national championship game after averaging 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and two assists on 62.3% shooting from the field. He became one of seven players to record at least 925 points and 450 rebounds in a season.

The 7-footer projects to have value at the next level as a rim protector and dominant post player. He will also be a step above his peers in terms of his experience as a four-year player and from playing with Canada in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Edey will soon begin preparing for the pre-draft process in team workouts and interviews over the next several weeks. He proved himself as one of the most dominant collegiate players in recent memory and will look to continue that success at the next level.

The 2024 NBA draft will occur June 26-27 in New York City.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=650262612]

Potential Sixers draft prospect Zach Edey delivered terrific performance

Potential Philadelphia 76ers draft prospect Zach Edey delivered terrific performances in the NCAA Tournament.

The Philadelphia 76ers have bigger issues to worry about as they prepare to make a deep run in the playoffs now that Joel Embiid has returned from his meniscus injury.

On the flip side, there is no harm in looking to the future and seeing what the Sixers could add to their roster. Per Tankathon, the Sixers will hold the 16th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. There is a chance that President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey will move that pick for a player who can help right away, but at the moment, the Sixers have a pick.

One player that could make sense is Purdue big man Zach Edey. The 7-foot-4 National Player of the Year delivered numerous great performances, and he  averaged 29.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in the six games in the tournament. He had 37 points and 10 rebounds in the national title loss to UConn.

Edey has the potential to be a very solid backup center in the NBA and he could get his chance in Philadelphia behind Joel Embiid. Multiple teams view him as Boban Marjanovic type player due to their vast similarities, but Edey will look to be a reliable player in the league.

[lawrence-related id=93468,93430,93451]

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey loses to UConn for national title

Potential Thunder draft prospect Zach Edey loses to UConn for national title.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to convey to OKC than the latter.

With the NCAA Tournament concluded, top prospects were in the spotlight as they drew national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is Purdue center Zach Edey. He finished with 37 points on 15-of-25 shooting, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 39 minutes in Purdue’s 75-60 loss to UConn in the national championship game on Monday.

Edey is a polarizing figure as a draft prospect. After opting out of last year’s draft, he returned for his senior season at Purdue and put up monster numbers. In 35 games, he averaged 24.5 points on 62% shooting, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He led Purdue to a No. 1 seed.

The concern with the 7-foot-4, 300-pound big man is his mobility and slowness. If he can’t improve in those areas, he might not survive as an NBA center.

On the Thunder, Edey would add serious size to a small roster. He can play a traditional big-man role and pair with Chet Holmgren nicely. However, he ultimately might not fit with OKC due to his lack of playmaking.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Big Ten Notebook: UConn secures back-to-back championships with win over Purdue

UConn and Danny Hurley won the NCAA Tournament on Monday night over Purdue.

On Monday night, Purdue’s magical March Madness run ended in the National Championship with a 75-60 loss to UConn. While Zach Edey continued to dominate, the Boilermakers could not prevent UConn from making history.

As the Huskies became the first team to win back-to-back championships since Florida in 2006 and 2007, they were relentless on the boards. The Huskies outscored the Boilermakers in the paint 44-40. They also were better from beyond the arc, making seven three-pointers compared to Purdue’s one.

While Monday ended in disappointing fashion for Purdue, there were a few bright spots, such as Zach Edey. The talented center scored a team-high 37 points while adding 10 rebounds to his resume. He also got some help from Braden Smith, who scored 12 points.

BASKETBALL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD#EVERYTHING pic.twitter.com/aUUx92LiTG

— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) April 9, 2024

Although Purdue put up a good fight, there was no denying this UConn team. Over the last two years, the program has put together a dominant run that head coach Dan Hurley is not taking for granted.

[lawrence-related id=37217,37212]

“I think it’s up there in terms of the greatest two-year runs that a program maybe has ever had,” Hurley told ESPN. “I just think it’s the best two-year run I think in a very, very long time just because of everything we lost from last year’s team. To lose that much, and again, to do what we did again, it’s got to be as impressive a two-year run as a program’s had since before whoever did it before Duke.”

As Purdue turns their focus to the 2024-2025 campaign, they have plenty to be proud of. 

NCAA basketball National Championship Game: Purdue vs. UConn prop bet picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Purdue vs. UConn National Championship Game with expert picks and predictions of the best 4 prop bets to make.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

The Purdue Boilermakers (34-4) and UConn Huskies (36-3) will meet in the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game Monday in Glendale, Ariz. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:20 p.m. (TBS). Below, we break down BetMGM Sportsbook’s before NCAA basketball National Championship prop bet odds, and tab the best Purdue vs. UConn prop bets to make among SportsbookWire’s expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.

Both were favorites and covered in their respective Final Four games Saturday.

Purdue, the Midwest’s No. 1 seed, beat NC State 63-50 as a 9.5-point favorite in the 1st semifinal with the Under (147) easily cashing. The Wolfpack were the big surprise in the Final Four, winning the South Region as the No. 11 seed, but the magical run finally came to an end.

UConn, the East’s top seed, defeated Alabama 86-72 and covered as a 10-point favorite with the Under (160.5) coming in. The Huskies, who are No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, held just a 4-point lead at the half and were tied at 56-all with just over 12 minutes to go against the Crimson Tide, who were the 4th seed out of the West Region.

The Huskies closed with a 30-16 run to finish off the Tide and move a win away from its 6th national title and from becoming the 1st repeat champion since the 2006-’07 Florida Gators. Only UCLA (11), Kentucky (8) and North Carolina (6) have more titles, while UConn is tied with Duke and Indiana at 5 championships each.

The Boilermakers, the No. 3 team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, are searching for their 1st NCAA title. They have been to the title game once before, losing to UCLA in 1969.

Purdue is led by 2024 AP Player of the Year C Zach Edey. He’s the 1st men’s basketball player to capture the award in consecutive seasons since Virginia’s Ralph Sampson won 3 in a row 1981–’83. Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas (1961-’62), UCLA’s Bill Walton (1972-’73) and NC State’s David Thompson (1974-’75) are the only players to win the award more than once.

Purdue is 5-0 against the spread (ATS) in its 5 NCAA Tourney games with the Under going 4-1, while UConn is also 5-0 ATS with the Under at 5-0. Big East schools own a perfect 7-0 straight up (SU) and ATS record in championship games since 2001, while Big Ten teams are winless at 0-7 SU and ATS.

Now, let’s make some money on some prop bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Best Purdue vs. UConn National Championship Game prop bets picks

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook’s; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:55 a.m. ET.

Purdue G Braden Smith OVER 5.5 rebounds (+120)

Listed at 6-foot, Smith may be one of the shortest men on the court, but he plays bigger. He has pulled down 8, 7, and 8 rebounds over his last 3 NCAA Tournament games against teams with very athletic guards like Tennessee and NC State. Smith averages 5.9 rebounds per game on the season, so he just needs to hit his average and we’re getting plus-money on this prop.

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

UConn G Stephon Castle OVER 4.5 rebounds (-130)

Sure, there’s a bit of juice for this one, but it’s because it seems like a lock. Castle grabbed at least 5 rebounds in 4 of UConn’s 5 NCAA Tourney games. He got into foul trouble against Northwestern in the 2nd round which is the reason he only finished with 2 boards. The 6-foot-6 guard averages 4.7 rebounds per game this season and isn’t afraid to mix it up with big men like Edey.

Purdue G Fletcher Loyer OVER 9.5 points (-120)

Here’s another bet with a bit of juice, but you’ve got to feel good about this one Monday night. Loyer has hit double-digit points in Purdue’s last 4 games. The only reason he didn’t get there in the Boilers’ NCAA Tourney opener against Gambling is because he only played 25 minutes in a blowout, and he still knocked down 8 points. Loyer has been a huge piece to the Boilermakers’ success in this tournament.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

Purdue UNDER 69.5 team total points (-110)

Enough people don’t give UConn the credit it deserves for its defensive ability. The Huskies rank 10th in the country at points allowed per game (PPG) at just 63.5 points, per CBSSports.com. This is after holding the top scoring team in the country in Alabama (90.1 PPG) to 72 points in their Final Four matchup. If you recall, UConn shut down Illinois’ high-powered offense (83.4 PPG) to just 52 points in the Elite 8, which included a 9-minute stretch where UConn went on a 30-0 run. Plus, the Boilermakers only scored 63 vs. NC State Saturday.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow @DrewPhelps05 on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

With the Big Ten on their backs, Purdue advances to NCAA Tournament’s championship game

Purdue basketball is on the national championship in the NCAA Tournament.

On Saturday, Purdue continued its national championship run with a 63-50 win over NC State. The Boilermakers are one win from making history and the program’s first NCAA title.

While NC State defied the odds to make it to the Final Four, they had no answer for Purdue and their talented center, Zach Edey. The Toronto native continued to dominate with a team-high 20 points and 12 rebounds. Along with his teammates, Edey is now ready to play on the biggest stage in college basketball, a moment he has been dreaming about.

“The reason I came back is for playing games like this,” Edey told ESPN. “It’s the reason I’m playing college basketball for four years, to finally get this game, big-time.”

Livin’ for one more day. pic.twitter.com/opnYU1yOaq

— Purdue Men’s Basketball (@BoilerBall) April 7, 2024

Although Edey dominated on the boards, Purdue was able to pull away late due to its success from beyond the arc. The Boilermakers shot 40 percent from three-point range, while NC State shot 26.3. For Purdue, Fletcher Loyer came up huge in those situations, making three of his five shots from three-point range.

[lawrence-related id=37057,37172,37169]

After a one-day hiatus, Purdue will be back in action on Monday night to take on UConn. Entering the National Championship, UConn is the favorite, according to ESPN. The Huskies will be looking to win their second straight title and sixth in school history.