With the NBA's 2024-25 season opening night less than one week away, Boston Celtics Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce talked about the most impressive players so far in the preseason during a recent episode of The Truth and The Ticket.
For Garnett, Memphis Grizzlies rookie center Zach Edey has caught his attention. The 9th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft has put up averages of 13.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in just 20 minutes of playing time per outing in a total of four games played. KG compared the former Purdue Boiler Maker to a pair of all-time great bigs.
"I don't know what we gonna call him for the whole year. But what's his name? Zach Edey? He looks like goddamn Zach Alcindor out there motherfuc****. That motherfuc*** looked like Yao out there."
Edey outplayed Myles Turner in preseason play
The two-time National Player of the Year winner played four of the Grizzlies' five preseason games. In just 20 minutes of playing time, he averaged 13.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. The 22-year-old Canadian went off during the Grizzlies' 120-116 win over the Indiana Pacers, scoring 23 points on 10-15 shooting with nine rebounds.
Against Indiana, Edey was matched up against an elite big man in Myles Turner. Despite giving up many years of NBA experience, he outplayed Turner, who had 12 points and seven boards in that game.
"You seen Edey?" KG asked Pierce. "You ain't watching the games, P. Sh**, I knew you weren't watching when I saw him go off cuz you ain't hit me. I said P ain't nowhere watching this. Cuz if you saw that little stretch that he had, man, he had Myles Turner lookin' like you and Prince in the backyard- Jump hook, ya. 17-feet, ya, Turnaround, ya. Lord, we've been talking about Memphis. I like Memphis, man."
Rookie of the Year favorite
The 7'4" Canadian is currently the betting favorite to win the 2025 Rookie of the Year award. 2024 NBA Draft top pick Zaccharie Risacher and No.3 overall pick Reed Sheppard are a distant second and third, respectively in the latest odds boards. Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant has already crowned him the ROY winner .
"For him to come in and say he wants to work out with me and then get through the workout throughout the whole week, it was big-time for him," Morant said last month. "It made me excited to have him on the team. His skill set is even much better. Obviously, he's 7'4'', but he's shooting the ball very well, Rookie of the Year is pretty much all I can say."
The Grizzlies are poised to have a bounce-back season after missing last season's playoffs. Edey will have to play a big role on the team if they want to have a big year. Given KG's assessment of him, that should not be an issue.
Related: "It's taking him a while to get to his bag" - Lou Williams expresses concern with Zach Edey's foot speed
Local News
Comments / 0