Today, we start a series breaking down each Purdue scholarship player in advance of the season. I am calling it our Purdue Preseason Player Previews, which I encourage you to say 10 times fast. For no good reason at all, I have decided to go in descending order by height.
Today, Zach Edey.
OUTLOOK
Zach Edey is riding the sharpest upward-trajectory of any player on this team, and I'm not sure there's a ceiling on how high it can take him. He's going to be an All-Big Ten sort of player this season, on a team that already has an All-American returning at his position, and one of the most impactful players on a per-minute basis in the Big Ten.
He made all of this abundantly clear both last season, but more so in Latvia at the FIBA 19-and-under games.
OFFENSIVE IMPACT
Last season, Edey averaged 21.1 points per 40 minutes, shot 55.3 percent and drew nearly as many fouls (101) as Williams (106) did in about 200 fewer minutes.
He may be the most difficult one-on-one matchup in the conference from a physical perspective and has the ability to have the same sort of offensive impact Isaac Haas did, where he affects the defense's entire approach to Purdue, generates a ton of high-percentage opportunities, takes a physical toll on opposing big men and fast-tracks the Boilermakers into the bonus will all the mud-wrestling fouls he draws.
One big difference between Edey and Haas, though: Edey is going to be a much better offensive rebounder, because he moves so much better, and is much quicker. Last season, he averaged 5.2 offensive rebounds per 40, an eyelash better than what Trevion Williams — fourth nationally per KenPom in offensive rebounding percentage — averaged per 40.
DEFENSIVE IMPACT
Maybe not this year, but Edey should have All-Defense Team potential, if not Defensive Player-of-the-Year potential. He may never put up the sort of numbers defensively to do the latter, as he is more of a rim-protector than a shot-blocker, if that makes sense. But he also might be as complete a defensive presence for his size as you'll find. Edey moves exceptionally well for being 7-4, 300 or whatever he is, and that mobility coupled with unparalleled height and length allow him to not only consume a ton of space, but also cover multiple areas in the same possession when needed, and more importantly contain ball screen action, which is critically important nowadays for centers.
POTENTIAL
Experience is going to help Edey this season, and he should have every reason for his confidence to be soaring. His stint with Team Canada gave him maybe the first opportunity of his basketball career to be a team's true centerpiece and it went smashingly well. That he has experienced the physical nature of the Big Ten now is important. He'll be ready for it now. There were some inconsistencies in that regard early on last season that one would think would be out of his system now.
From an upside perspective, 55 percent is a good number in terms of a shooting percentage, but this is a guy who can hit 65-70 and probably maintain it. Being more efficient around the basket should be an emphasis. So should dominating the glass on both ends of the floor.
KEY TO SUCCESS
Just keep doing what he's been doing. Edey's rapid improvement has been evident at Purdue from the day he arrived on campus and really showed up this spring before he left for international play. You don't improve the way he has without trying to. If he keeps his foot on the gas in that regard and stays healthy, the sky is the limit.
QUESTIONS
Honestly, the only question that comes to mind here is whether or not Purdue can absolutely maximize his minutes load. The advantages that might come with playing him and Trevion Williams wouldn't be so great that Purdue would be trying this under most any other circumstances, because they have palatable options at the 4 again. It's simply about the practicality of getting two of your three or four best players on the floor more than you otherwise might be able to.
Edey is going to be good this season. It's just going to be interesting to see whether Purdue can even get him on the floor more than 18-20 minutes per game.
Today, Zach Edey.
OUTLOOK
Zach Edey is riding the sharpest upward-trajectory of any player on this team, and I'm not sure there's a ceiling on how high it can take him. He's going to be an All-Big Ten sort of player this season, on a team that already has an All-American returning at his position, and one of the most impactful players on a per-minute basis in the Big Ten.
He made all of this abundantly clear both last season, but more so in Latvia at the FIBA 19-and-under games.
OFFENSIVE IMPACT
Last season, Edey averaged 21.1 points per 40 minutes, shot 55.3 percent and drew nearly as many fouls (101) as Williams (106) did in about 200 fewer minutes.
He may be the most difficult one-on-one matchup in the conference from a physical perspective and has the ability to have the same sort of offensive impact Isaac Haas did, where he affects the defense's entire approach to Purdue, generates a ton of high-percentage opportunities, takes a physical toll on opposing big men and fast-tracks the Boilermakers into the bonus will all the mud-wrestling fouls he draws.
One big difference between Edey and Haas, though: Edey is going to be a much better offensive rebounder, because he moves so much better, and is much quicker. Last season, he averaged 5.2 offensive rebounds per 40, an eyelash better than what Trevion Williams — fourth nationally per KenPom in offensive rebounding percentage — averaged per 40.
DEFENSIVE IMPACT
Maybe not this year, but Edey should have All-Defense Team potential, if not Defensive Player-of-the-Year potential. He may never put up the sort of numbers defensively to do the latter, as he is more of a rim-protector than a shot-blocker, if that makes sense. But he also might be as complete a defensive presence for his size as you'll find. Edey moves exceptionally well for being 7-4, 300 or whatever he is, and that mobility coupled with unparalleled height and length allow him to not only consume a ton of space, but also cover multiple areas in the same possession when needed, and more importantly contain ball screen action, which is critically important nowadays for centers.
POTENTIAL
Experience is going to help Edey this season, and he should have every reason for his confidence to be soaring. His stint with Team Canada gave him maybe the first opportunity of his basketball career to be a team's true centerpiece and it went smashingly well. That he has experienced the physical nature of the Big Ten now is important. He'll be ready for it now. There were some inconsistencies in that regard early on last season that one would think would be out of his system now.
From an upside perspective, 55 percent is a good number in terms of a shooting percentage, but this is a guy who can hit 65-70 and probably maintain it. Being more efficient around the basket should be an emphasis. So should dominating the glass on both ends of the floor.
KEY TO SUCCESS
Just keep doing what he's been doing. Edey's rapid improvement has been evident at Purdue from the day he arrived on campus and really showed up this spring before he left for international play. You don't improve the way he has without trying to. If he keeps his foot on the gas in that regard and stays healthy, the sky is the limit.
QUESTIONS
Honestly, the only question that comes to mind here is whether or not Purdue can absolutely maximize his minutes load. The advantages that might come with playing him and Trevion Williams wouldn't be so great that Purdue would be trying this under most any other circumstances, because they have palatable options at the 4 again. It's simply about the practicality of getting two of your three or four best players on the floor more than you otherwise might be able to.
Edey is going to be good this season. It's just going to be interesting to see whether Purdue can even get him on the floor more than 18-20 minutes per game.
