Raptors will have every opportunity to draft Zach Edey — if they want to
When the Toronto Raptors are on the NBA Draft clock this June, they’ll have the opportunity to pick up a few players who could ultimately play a big role in the franchise’s multi-year rebuild.
There’s no generational talent at the top of the draft like 2023 had in Victor Wembanyama, but it’s anyone’s best guess who will be the stars of the class.
The Raptors currently hold three picks in this year’s draft, though their top selection could convey to the San Antonio Spurs if it falls outside of the top six in May’s draft lottery.
For some fans, the draft will be the culmination of years of research, reading over thousands of mock drafts and watching hundreds of YouTube videos to see who their team should select.
For the more casual Raptors draft observer, there’s probably one name that stands above all else — literally and figuratively — 7-foot-4 Purdue centre Zach Edey, a Toronto native and the reigning NCAA Player of the Year, with a possibility to repeat when the award is handed out next month.
With young, tall NBA players like Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren lauded for their length and ability to shoot from the outside, Edey’s game is a bit of a throwback.
He’s attempted just two three-pointers throughout his college career but has put up some gargantuan stats this year, putting up 24.5 points and 12.1 rebounds in his senior season. He’s a player with some extreme physical advantages who has clearly figured out how to use them, at least at the college level.
“He’s a legend over there [at Purdue],” OKC Thunder forward Lu Dort said this past Friday in Toronto.
Dort, who played alongside Edey at last year’s FIBA World Cup, where Canada won a historic bronze, said he’s backing Purdue to win the NCAA title this season.
“He’s a big dude; he’s actually strong too… I’m rooting for him to win the championship, and I can’t wait to see him next year [in the NBA],” he added.
And though there might be questions about Edey’s archetype in the modern NBA, another Canadian teammate thinks Edey has the tools to succeed.
“The last two MVPs have been big guys,” OKC star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He’s smart. He soaks things up quick… he’s a humble kid. He’ll figure it out [in the NBA].”
For NBA Draft writers — even the ones who spend the majority of their time trying to evaluate future prospects for the league, opinions on Edey have been all over the place.
ESPN’s most recent mock draft by Jonathan Givony puts Edey at the 14th selection, two spots ahead of where Toronto is currently projected at 16th (via Indiana’s pick). NBADraft.net has him at 45th on their top 100 big board, while the Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor put Edey at 30th in a recent mock draft.
Safe to say, consensus is out the window with Edey.
But if the Raptors want to bring him home, they’ll likely have the chance to. They’ve shown a clear indication they’re willing to take their chances on Canadian players, having traded for RJ Barrett and Kelly Olynyk this season. They also have Chris Boucher on their roster and recent history with Khem Birch and Dalano Banton, to name a few.
And with the possibility of three picks, they’ll, in all likelihood, have something with whatever range he’s in or the opportunity to trade up or down for a chance to select him.
Former Toronto head coach Nick Nurse, who spent time coaching Edey while in charge of the Canadian men’s national basketball team, lauded the big man for his cardio.
“He told me he never gets tired. And I kind of chuckled, and he was like… ‘I’m serious.’ He’s really in shape,” Nurse told Daily Hive back in 2023.
Following their second-round win against Utah State on Sunday, Purdue coach Matt Painter drew aim at Edey’s critics.
“They just shouldn’t cover basketball” 😳
Matt Painter on people who think Zach Edey is good just because he’s tall 👀#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/5S202WSCQF
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 24, 2024
“Yeah, they just shouldn’t cover basketball,” Painter said. “I think all coaches should take a test so they understand refereeing, and I think all referees should take a test so they understand coaching, and I think all journalists should have to take a basketball quiz or test… If they say something so moronic as that, they should have to have a probationary status where they can’t tweet for like three months.”
Whether they’re interested in picking him or not, 30 NBA franchises will no doubt be taking a look at Edey this summer. But for now, they’ll be keeping their eyes on exactly how far he can take Purdue in the NCAA tournament. Their next challenge comes in the Sweet Sixteen Friday night against Gonzaga.
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