Memphis GM calls Zach Edey 'A special fit' for his team

The general manager of the NBA Memphis Grizzlies called Wednesday’s drafting of Zach Edey “a special fit” for his team and that he is “more than thrilled” about the pick.

“Zach Edey is a particularly special fit for this group,” Zach Kleiman, general manager, said. ”We’re talking about someone whose competitiveness is through the roof, care factor through the roof, no ego, (he) just wants to win.”

While at Purdue, Edey increased his minutes and points per game in each of his four seasons. He went from playing 14.7 minutes a game his freshman season to 19.0, 31.7 and 32.0 in successive years. Similary, his points per game average improved, too. He scored 8.7 his freshman season and increased it each year thereafter at 14.4, 22.3 and 25.2 points per game.

The Boilermakers’ season records improved as well from 18-10 in 2020-21 to 34-5 in the most recently completed one. For his efforts, Edey was named the national Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons his final two years.

“(He’s) development focused,” Kleiman said. “(He had) year over year a track record of actual improvement. When we talk about the DNA of this (Grizzlies) team, that we are trying to build out Zach Edey to a ‘t’ is that definition. We cannot be more thrilled than to land him in this draft.”

Kleiman likes how Edey’s presence in a game can be a game changer.

“Zach is incredibly unique in that you have to deal with him – from a size standpoint, from a physicality standpoint, that’s something other teams are going to have to grapple with,” he said.

In Memphis selecting Edey as a lottery pick, they got what they wanted.

“There was a lot of mutual excitement about him joining the Grizzlies,” Kleiman said. “This is how we wanted the draft to play out."