Zach Edey’s faculty profession appears to be formally over.
Per ESPN, the Purdue star and two-time Naismith Participant of the 12 months has filed paperwork to enter the 2024 NBA Draft. Purdue’s season ended earlier this month when the Boilermakers misplaced to UConn within the nationwide championship sport.
“I felt prefer it was time,” Edey instructed ESPN. “I confirmed that I am a bodily presence on offense this season,” Edey stated. “I additionally confirmed I can play protection. I can guard in area, even defend guards.”
The information is not a lot of a shock. Purdue coach Matt Painter had stated in February that Edey wasn’t going to make use of his closing season of eligibility and return to the Boilermakers subsequent fall. Edey had that closing season of eligibility due to an NCAA waiver that gave all athletes in faculty in the course of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic an additional season of eligibility.
The 7-foot-4 middle has been an enormous a part of the Boilermakers’ success lately. They earned back-to-back Huge Ten common season titles and No. 1 seeds within the NCAA event, although they have been knocked out within the first spherical of the event final season in historic vogue.
Edey averaged 22.3 factors and a career-high 12.9 factors per sport final season with the Boilermakers. He completed the season averaging 25.2 factors, which is the perfect output within the nation and 12.2 rebounds, which was the third-best within the nation. He picked up his second straight nationwide participant of the yr title this month, too, which made him the primary particular person to win that award consecutively since Ralph Sampson in 1982-83.
Edey dropped 37 factors and had 10 rebounds in Purdue’s 75-60 loss to UConn within the nationwide championship sport on April 8. He shot 15-of-25 from the sector and largely dominated UConn large Donovan Clingan within the first 20 minutes, however the Huskies powered forward within the second half to assert back-to-back nationwide titles.
Whereas Edey has been a dominant power on the faculty stage, it’s unclear the place he’ll be chosen within the NBA Draft in June. Yahoo Sports activities’ Krysten Peek has Edey going No. 31 general to kick off the second spherical in her newest mock draft. Different mocks have Edey going as early as No. 15 general.
No matter the place he finally ends up going, there is not any doubt that Edey improved his draft inventory all through the NCAA event. Edey will discover a place within the league shortly, and ought to be a really worthwhile asset for whoever opts to select him up.
