Zach Edey Is Just Different

[mayboiler]

Zach Edey Is Just Different

Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center might be college basketball’s biggest lightning rod, but he’s learned how to harness the hate, turning him into arguably the best big man in the country. "I play better when I’m pissed off," he says.

www.theringer.com

 

[hunterdogg]

My favorite new hot take from all of the armchair analysts heading into the tournament..

"Take Zach Edey off the team and Purdue is very average."

First of all, everyone thought Purdue was going to be average this year WITH him.
Second, you could literally say this about nearly every great basketball team in history. Take away the superstar, and they won't be as good.
Third, an extended point...You hear all the time, "it all starts with recruiting high level talent." Connect the two lines of thinking. Recruit good players, but take them off the team and your team won't be as good. It's ridiculous.

But anyway. He's just tall...

 

[TX4GB]

They thought that after Big Dog left after averaging 30 points per game, then we won the Big 10 championship the following 2 years.

 

[depthcharge623]

That’s a great article. Thought this quote summed up the hardest part about Edey in basketball (though the quote referred to baseball), and also why Edey is so valuable— because he learned to walk this line perfectly.

“It was a tough position to be in: play hard and be perceived as threatening; hold back and be perceived as soft.”