Ralph Sampson and Zach Edey are the only players in NCAA history to win the Wooden Award more than once.
Sampson, the University of Virginia product, won college basketball's top individual honor in 1981, 1982, and 1983. Meanwhile, Edey accomplished that feat by winning his second National Player of the Year award last season.
Fox Sports caught up with Ralph last March and asked him about Zach before the Memphis Grizzlies selected him ninth in the 2024 NBA Draft. The legendary forward had an interesting comparison for the 7'4" big man.
"I think he's a better Mark Eaton-style player," Sampson said . "If you kind of compare bodies, he's that style of big guy. But he plays probably 100% better than Mark Eaton."
The man-mountain in Utah
After winning the NCAA Player of the Year three times in college, the Houston Rockets selected Sampson first overall in the 1983 NBA Draft. At 7'4", he instantly became one of the tallest players in the NBA during that time.
But as soon as Ralph reported to the Rockets, his veteran teammates warned him about the man mountain named Mark Eaton in Utah. Even though Eaton was drafted one year ahead of Sampson, the Rockets legend claims he didn't know who the 7'4", 275-pound behemoth was.
"So I go on the court, and he walks in, and I said, 'Oh my gosh, he's huge,'" Sampson continued. "At that point, I said, 'So how do I defend him, how do I maneuver around him offensively?' And I have a picture as well of me against him, and I'm blocking his shot, and he's still way above me, but I had my fingertips on the ball. But he's so, so big and so strong—and he wasn't athletic. Edey is athletic. So the difference between size and being athletic."
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A taller version of Valanciunas?
Perhaps ESPN Draft Expert Jonathan Givony gave a better pre-draft comparison for the former Boilermaker.
"I look at him and say, 'What if Jonas Valanciunas was six inches taller?' That's what Zach Edey is to me," Givony said . "He's 7'5" in shoes, 7'11" wingspan, 9'7" standing reach; he dunks without jumping, he plays incredibly hard, he's physical, he's competitive, draws fouls at a ridiculous rate, he offensive rebounds at a ridiculous rate, he is the best screener in this draft which counts a ton in today's NBA with the way everybody plays pick and roll."
Whether he is a better Eaton or taller Valanciunas, the outlook on Edey is promising. If he lives up to either comparison, the Grizzlies should be happy.
Memphis struggled with Ja's suspension and injury last season. They also lost GG Jackson to injury recently. But if Edey is as good as advertised, they should be a team to watch this coming campaign.
Related: "He's gonna be a bigger force offensively for them" - Penny Hardaway discusses Zach Edey's fit with the Memphis Grizzlies
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