2023 NBA Draft: Purdue’s Zach Edey testing waters, however nationwide participant of the yr leaves door open to return

Purdue star Zach Edey introduced Tuesday that he’s coming into the NBA Draft however sustaining his collegiate eligibility after profitable nationwide participant of the yr honors throughout a standout junior season. The 7-foot-4 middle led the Boilermakers to a 29-6 file and a No. 1 seed within the NCAA Event, the place they have been upset within the first spherical by No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson.

“My basketball journey has been unorthodox to say the least, however I would not change a factor about it,” Edey wrote on Twitter. “From ranked No. 437 in my class to Nationwide Participant of the Yr, I am unable to put into phrases what Purdue College, my teammates, my coaches and our followers imply to me. Although we fell in need of our final purpose this season, I cherished each second of it.”

Edey averaged 22.3 factors, 12.9 rebounds and a couple of.1 blocks per recreation whereas logging a team-high 31.7 minutes for Purdue. He ranked first within the Huge Ten in factors and rebounds per recreation and tied for second in blocks per recreation whereas main the Boilermakers to the league’s common season and match titles.

The NCAA’s deadline for faculty gamers testing the NBA Draft waters to withdraw and nonetheless be eligible return to play subsequent season is Could 31, which means Purdue might stay in limbo for a number of weeks as Edey goes via pre-draft exercises and receives suggestions from NBA franchises. Although dominant on the school stage, it is unclear how Edey’s recreation would translate on the subsequent stage from a defensive standpoint in NBA methods that always require bigs to defend smaller gamers on the perimeter.

In 99 profession video games at Purdue, Edey has additionally by no means tried a 3-point shot, which is a ability he would probably must develop with a purpose to be an efficient long-term NBA participant. Ought to he return to Purdue, he would have two seasons of eligibility remaining for the reason that 2020-21 marketing campaign didn’t depend in opposition to him amid the COVID-19 pandemic.