It’s never dull in the NBA. Despite the tournament having concluded, basketball fans are now keeping themselves busy with the ongoing Summer League. While Bronny James topped the headlines, another rookie who is making heads turn is 22-year-old Center Zach Edey. Despite the injury he sustained recently, he is leaving a great first impression not only amongst fans but also members of the NBA fraternity as well.

During a matchup against the Jazz, the Grizzlies‘ rookie was seen having issues with his ankle during the 3 quarter. Despite this, he pushed on, dropping shots amidst a tough defense and making layups. The noteworthy highlight took place with just 0.8 seconds remaining on the clock and the Jazz leading by 2. Edey made use of a quick tap to drop the ball through the hoop right before the buzzer, bringing the score to 90-90 and taking the game to overtime.

This feat of his was enough to earn him praise from his teammate and 2x NBA All-Star Ja Morant himself. The 24-year-old took to his official X account to write “ayeeeeeee zach” accompanied by a few emojis. He also stated that fellow rookie Jake LaRavia should also receive praise for his performance.

The 9 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft had his ups and downs during the matchup. While Scotty Pippen Jr., son of the Chicago Bulls legend, led the scoring effort with his 21 points, Edey followed behind with his 14. He wasn’t much help in terms of assists, but the player made 15 rebounds to let the Grizzlies keep the competition alive.

Jake LaRavia, on the other hand, who has been a part of the Grizzlies circle since 2022, dropped 18 points via 5-14 field goals, 2-8 three-pointers, and 6-9 free throws. Zach Edey’s tip-in during the final 0.8 seconds kept the Grizzlies alive and established him as a game-changer. Though the Jazz won the game in the end, the player’s recent showcase will not be easily forgotten.

Zach Edey’s memorable showcase against Utah excites many, igniting an interesting veteran analogy

Time runs fast when one is a part of the NBA world. As soon as Zach Edey’s matchup against the Utah Jazz ended, people descended onto social media to share their reaction. One commenter highlighted that the 22-year-old has proved his worth in the Summer League and that his next destination should be to accompany the Canadian National Team to Paris!

Less than three weeks from now, Team USA, Canada, France, and many others will fly to Paris to compete in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Looking to secure their 5th consecutive Gold, the US and lined up its best players of the modern-day NBA like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards. Canada is not too far behind either. Spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray, Canada is looking to better their FIBA Bronze finish too.

Being the same age as Edwards, Edey himself could’ve served in his country’s team. Unfortunately, all 12 players have been locked in, and Zach Edey himself withdrew from proceedings as he wanted to focus on the Summer League.

One social media user applauded the player on his final-second move, asserting, “Let’s Goooo!! He was mad after missing that put back dunk and wasn’t gonna miss it a second time!”

The missed dunk in question took place during the last 12.7 seconds of the game. With Utah leading by one point, Edey proceeded to grab a rebound after his fellow teammate failed to get the ball through the hoop. However, despite grabbing onto the ball, he was too quick with his action and caused the ball to bounce away from the rim. The Jazz made proper use of the possession and added on to their lead. Fortunately, Edey then followed his missed shot with the tip-in that became the talk of the town.

One fan indirectly praised the player by criticizing the Blazers for picking rookie Donovan Clingan over Edey. By calling this a repeat of the Kevin Durant-Greg Odem debacle, the commenter questioned whether Clingan will be “the next great Trail Blazers failure?”

During the 2007 NBA Draft, the Trail Blazers received the opportunity to select the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. Instead of choosing Kevin Durant, who later went to the Seattle Supersonics as the 2 overall pick, the Trail Blazers chose Greg Odem.

Odem didn’t stay long in the NBA, exiting in 2014 to join the Chinese Basketball Association without having secured any memorable accolades. Meanwhile, Durant has found success as one of the best players of this generation, possessing 2 Championships and Finals MVP titles each, having been named to the All-Star team 14 times, 3 Olympic gold medals, etc. So, the fan believes that Edey has the potential to be the next KD- what do you think about that steep expectation?

While the Grizzlies rookie was receiving praise from all sides, some chose to downplay his feat. A fan highlighted that the only reason Zach Edey succeeded with the tip-in was because of his height.

Calling him out to be “tall” may be an underestimation. At 7-foot 3.75, Edey is a giant! Before the Grizzles-Jazz game, a picture of the player made the rounds of the internet. It featured him making a dunk with his hands at the rim, while his feet surprisingly were on the ground! With 3 players from this year’s NBA Combine Class being taller than 7 feet, Edey took the top rank by surpassing the rest.

Overall, the majority of reactions were positive in nature towards Zach Edey’s feat.

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.