Zach Edey may not have played with the type of consistency he had hoped for as a rookie in the NBA, but there’s no denying the former Purdue superstar had a strong first season with the Memphis Grizzlies. His year was so impressive, in fact, that he could be named to the NBA’s All-Rookie team later this spring.
Edey acknowledged that he still has a lot of room to grow, but there is a level of satisfaction that comes with success in his first NBA season. It’s a chance to prove his doubters that they were wrong about his future in the league.
Sunday, Edey conducted his exit interview after his first season in Memphis. The team’s season came to an end on Saturday after a 117-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs. The Grizzlies were swept after reaching the field as the No. 8 seed.
In his exit interview, Edey was asked how it would feel if he was recognized as an NBA All-Rookie selection. He’s no stranger to accolades, having won the National Player of the Year honor in back-to-back seasons while at Purdue, but he admitted this type of honor might be a little sweeter.
“I think this one might mean a little more,” Edey said. “There are a lot of people that get paid a lot of money that said a lot of things about me, how I was going to be in the NBA and the type of future I was going to have. This obviously isn’t the end of the journey, it’s just step one of kind of showing them that I think some people overthought some things.”
Edey ended his rookie season averaging 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He shot 58% from the floor and showed some range with his three-point shot, making 18-of-52 attempts from deep.
Edey was a consistent starter in Memphis and came on strong at the end of the season when the Grizzlies made a coaching change. In the 15 games after firing Taylor Jenkins and sliding Tuomas Iisalo into the top chair, the 7-foot-4 center averaged 9.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest. He also notched five double-doubles in that stretch.
Heading into the offseason, Edey understands he still has plenty to work on. He’s preparing to “put his head down” and getting back to work for an even better 2025-26 season.
“I have to work on a lot of things this offseason: My lateral quickness, my explosiveness, my athleticism in guarding the perimeter,” Edey said. “There’s a lot to work on.”
But, if that NBA All-Rookie honor comes, Edey is going to enjoy it. Mostly because so many people said he didn’t have a spot in the league.
EDEY SUCCESSFUL AS NBA ROOKIE: Zach Edey had plenty of doubters when he was selected No. 9 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. But the former Purdue star quieted those critics with an impressive first season in the league. CLICK HERE
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