Before his senior year, Edey was viewed as too slow and lumbering to not be targeted in the same way that, say, Boban has been. He was viewed as an anachronism in the modern game. Not quick or mobile enough to be a modern pogo-stick style rim protector, not a good enough shooter to be a Yao-type versatile offensive player.

I remember reading that and I never bought into it. You don’t have to be a pogo stick to defend the rim when you are his size and he was clearly quick enough to get in front of people and to block shots. His quickness or lack of quickness wasn’t very apparent either because in college he could be outstandingly effective just staying the rim. Of course he didn’t do much outside shooting because he didn’t need to, but he always shot fouls reasonably well.

But he’s so big that comparing him to relative dwarfs like Mozgov and Big Country is not really valid. It’s all about how his athleticism package translates to the modern NBA. My feeling has always been that he’s quick and agile enough, and that he’s a tireless worker. He’s wayyy bigger than guys like JV and Steve Adams, just as mobile, and more skilled, including from the FT line.

I would have loved to have figured out a way to draft him this year, but seems like the rest of the NBA caught on.

I’m rooting for him, though. I like seeing some of those giants succeed.

Z–man says:
May 16, 2023 at 11:18
Zach Edey just ran a faster 3/4 court sprint at the combine than Brook Lopez or Rudy Gobert. In this draft, he’s the guy I’d pursue. He will absolutely be a starter in the NBA. See: Walker Kessler

He wound up staying in college, but it was pretty clear to me then that he was being underrated. I know I was on to him in 2022 but can’t find the posts…

By his senior year, folks started to come around.

That’s fair. I read the piece about him (in the Athletic, I think?) in his junior year and got curious. He looked a little slow, tbh. But skilled. So when he seemed quicker the next year, it was easy to see he’d at least be a workable backup.

This was not the opinion during the middle of his junior year. By his senior year, folks started to come around.

Can I take credit for boarding the Zach Edey train before anyone else here?

If you want, sure, but plenty of people here thought he could be good, including me. His last year in college he definitely looked quicker and stronger, and at his height, with his touch, that’s enough to be at least decent.

Edit: it would be hilarious, though, if in 5 years he were the dominant center in the league and not Wemby or Chet.

I cant wait to see him matched up with Wemby.