MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Grizzlies have high hopes for this season and whether those goals come to fruition will depend a lot on what rookie Zach Edey can do at the NBA level.
The Grizzlies drafted Purdue's big man at No. 9 overall in the NBA draft. Since then, the Canadian has moved to Memphis, impressed for the Grizz at the NBA Summer League and has had lots of workouts with his teammates, including Ja Morant.
"I just wanted to go form a relationship, I wanted to go meet (Morant), talk to him and build that relationship early," Edey said at the Grizzlies 2024-25 Media Day. "It's going to be something that's super important. He's a really good guy, he made it an option to me to go out and work out with him so I'm just super thankful for that."
This summer the star point-guard has raved about Edey's abilities at the rim and has said publicly Edey will hands down win Rookie of the Year, but Edey isn't getting caught up in the hype.
"I never really play for any awards I just play game for game and however the season goes is how it goes," Edey said. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't something I want to do but that's not the goal this season."
Morant wasn't the only guy who made it their mission to workout with Edey this summer.
"He was great," Marcus Smart said. "To be able to get that chemistry with him is gonna be key, it's going to help us a lot and this team. So to be able to work and see a guy like him come in with his size and handle the game and what the game offers is big for us and it was great to see."
While Edey may have been one of the best players in college last year, he knows he's got a lot of work to do to be considered one of the best at the NBA.
"I'm going to challenge him to grow versatility on the outside, you know, being able to shoot the three ball, being able to defend on the perimeter too," head coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I think this guy is fully capable of it. It's going to take time as he adapts to the physicality and the speed, the game strategies and tendencies of the league."
Since getting drafted Edey has prioritized trimming down. At media day he estimated he weighed 290 pounds and said he has since seen the benefits.
"It's just helped me move around better - jump, cut, everything," Edey said. "I just feel like I can move better than I've ever been able to."
Edey and the rest of the Grizzlies head to training camp in Nashville Oct. 1-3 before preseason begins on Oct. 7 at Dallas.
