Zach Edey Compares Himself To Steven Adams, Jonas Valunciunas And Ivica Zubac

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Zach Edey has emerged as one of the most intriguing prospects entering the 2024 NBA Draft. The towering big man has impressed fans and basketball pundits alike with his ability to dominate in the post and consistently control the boards.

His college career is a trophy case in itself – two National Player of the Year awards and a staggering stat line of over 2,500 points and 1,300 rebounds, placing him among an elite group of just eight players in NCAA history.

That being said, questions cloud Edey’s transition to the NBA. The modern NBA is a fast-paced league that often exposes slower players, especially big men like Edey who are forced to defend on the perimeter. Additionally, shooting ability has become a valuable skill, further complicating the role of centers like him.

Despite these concerns, Edey remains confident in his ability to be impactful. He believes he can carve out a spot in the NBA by doing what he does best, putting himself in the same sentence as Steven Adams, Jonas Valanciunas and Ivica Zubac.

Per New York Times:

“I think it just comes with kind of realizing who I am,” Edey said. “I’m never going to be the wiry seven-foot guy who can — like Kevin Durant, that is never going to be me, guys like that. I’m a 7-foot-4, 300-pound guy. I’m built to be in the paint, to carve out space to protect my area. And that’s what I’m gonna keep doing. I think there’s a lot of people in the NBA that do stuff like that. (Jonas) Valančiūnas, (Ivica) Zubac, Steven Adams; guys who had a lot of success in the NBA being those paint presences. I’m going to stick to who I am and I kind of know who I am.”