With the 7th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, The Portland Trailblazers select. . .

In the one and done era I think we should be looking at guys like Edey who won the Naismith in their senior year. The last guy to be a starting level player was Buddy Hield in 2016 and before that it was JJ Redick in 2006 and those are the only guys who have consistently started in the Association after winning the Naismith as seniors since one and done started in 2005.

Other seniors to win the Naismith during the one and done era: Luka Garza, Frank Mason, Doug McDermott and Jimmer Fredette.

 

All guys who were dominant in college but fringe NBA players.

There’s many arguments to be made for a player being a great NBA prospect.

But being a 7’4 college Center and dominating against primarily 6’8” Centers in college isn’t one of them

 

Yeeeeeah... ummm... this is a little embarrassing. Joker fell because he was a chubby unknown. If you think Edey who has been playing for Purdue for four seasons will shock NBA scouts the way Joker and Giannis did as international men of mystery, I don't know what to tell you. Huge, huge difference in the amount of scouting knowledge between Edey now and Joker when he was drafted.

 

NBA and NCAA basketball players have the exact same average height.

 

Wut?

 

I’d package up our seconds and add sweetener to move up if Edey slips late into the first round. Ayton, Edey and Reath sounds good to me.

 

lol I’m pretty sure there are at least a couple inches difference in avg height (I don’t trust my memory, but I thought it was like 6’4” vs 6’7”)

 

Average height of NBA player is 6'6.5 (78.5 inches)
https://www.nba.com/news/nba-roster-survey-facts-to-know-for-the-2023-24-season

Compare that to this listening of the average height of every player in the NCAA tournament. There isn't much difference. People act like Edey is going up against midgets. The average center in the NBA is 6'10, so he's going to have quite a height advantage in the NBA too.
https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketbal...4/duke-has-tallest-team-years-ncaa-tournament

 

the gap isn't that big, it appears to be about 6'4.75 (NCAA) vs 6'6.25-6'6.5 (NBA). I'd guess there is a bit bigger gap for C's but I'm not positive

but that misses the point in a big way. A big majority of NCAA C's don't have the talent to make an NBA roster. Every NBA C has the talent to make an NBA roster. And the standards for rotational talent are even higher

a C like Edey will be facing significantly better C's in the NBA, on average, in terms of size, mobility, and skills, than he ever did at Purdue

 

That goes without saying, the competition is much better in the NBA at every position. The same would be true if he were a 6'6 guard averaging 25ppg on 66 TS%. Another poster was saying Edey's inside scoring ability was mostly a product of how much taller he is than other players. Which is total nonsense. A lot of players as tall or taller than Edey weren't able to do what he did.

 

c'mon now...

Edey was 7'3.75 without shoes with a 9'7 standing reach. How many NCAA players have even been 7'1 w/o shoes?

He absolutely towered over almost all opposition. of course that's going to convey a big advantage, especially facing teams that don't play team defense like NBA teams do. I'd estimate that's the main reason he had such a high FT rate, which in turn jacked up his TS%. I think some of that was an artifact of his competition. He's not going to have an 80% FT Rate in the NBA

speaking of artifacts, Edey's huge rebound numbers were really pumped up by his offensive rebounding rate. A career mark of 19% won't carry over into the NBA. He might be good, but not that good. More than that though is his defensive rebounding rate didn't match his offensive rebounding rate. His 25.4% rate this season would have ranked 16th last season, and 18th this season. Jabari Walker had a 25.0% rate and he was competing against NBA players

 

Yeah, Edey is a really nice late first round pick and I think he is a good piece to have coming off the bench. Then the coach with Edey gets to dictate when another team has to deal with match up problems.

I saw a mock with him going to Miami and 15 and didn't think that was too crazy just because of the Heat roster... specifically Bam.

 

Donovan Clingan is one, and a center who is thought to be the best defensive center in the NCAA, and Edey dominated him. Players probably foul him trying to contend with his size. He's going to tower over NBA centers as well.

Teams used to get players that could guard the post, but that is so seldom used anymore, modern NBA centers will be less equipped to deal with Edey.

 

Yes, its DPOY Rudy Gobert playoff career. Guy gets played off the court every year.

 

Actually thats a great idea - lets look at the Seniors that have won the award this century;

Shane Battier
Nick Collison
David West
Jameer Nelson
JJ Redick
Jimmer Fredette
Draymond Green
Doug McDermott
Frank Kaminsky
Buddy Hield
Denzel Valentine
Frank Mason III
Luka Garza (2)
Zach Edey (2)

Juniors aren't much better;

Drew Gooden
Jay Williams (2)
Emeka Okafor
Dee Brown
Adam Morrison
Tyler Hansbrough
Evan Turner
Victor Oladipo
Jalen Brunson
Luka Garza
Oscar Tshiebwe
Zach Edey

 

you might research the history of Nurkic vs Jokic; and Nurkic vs Embiid. There were games 5-6 years ago when Nurkic outplayed both. That didn't mean he was the better C

I know Edey is your guy but my guess is that you haven't convinced anybody but yourself that Portland should use the 7th pick on him

 

Freshman and Sophmores have translated great though - thats why age is a massive factor when looking at performance.

Kevin Durant
Anthony Davis
Zion Williamson

Jay Williams
T. J. Ford
Andrew Bogut
Blake Griffin
Trey Burke
Obi Toppin

 

This isn't true as there are so many more very good players at guard positions that can't make the NBA. There are so few 7' in the world almost 20% of them play professional basketball. So there is a much larger dropoff in talent at the center position. Thats why minor leagues like the Gleague are so guard dominant.

 

Heat play so many sophisticated defenses I can't see them entertaining the thought of trying to structure that around Edey.

In theory he probably makes sense on a lottery team because he would be schemed off the floor in the playoffs. So Portland does make sense in that regard - at least until we want to switch from tanking to winning.

 

Edey can only score in the post because he's so much bigger than his opponents.

Actually, he dominated a 7-2 center who is very big even by NBA standards.

Nurkic vs Jokic.....

I just don't think any of the arguments being made against Edey hold water. They are based on this hypothetical assumptions that aren't backed up by anything real.