Can Zach Edey Undo Purdue Basketball’s ‘Walk Of Shame’ With a Redemption in 2023-24 NCAA Season?

The 2022-23 season saw Purdue having an exemplary record of 29-5 that helped them occupy the numero uno position in the AP poll at several instances in the season. They won the Big 10 regular season and post-season tournament championships, making them the top-ranked team in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament. However, things took a turn for the worse when they received a shocking exit by becoming the only second team to be upset by a 16-seed team.

The Farleigh-Dickinson gave them a blow during the Round of 64, upending them by a narrow margin of 63-58. The Boilermakers are yet to make a Final Four appearance under their head coach Matt Painter. But can they redeem themselves of the disgrace this year?

Does Zach Edey’s return matter?

In May this year, Edey announced his decision to opt out of the NBA 2023 draft and return to the West Lafayette team to complete his senior year. He is one of the most skillful players in the Boilermakers’ rooster. With a towering height of 7’ 4” Edey is popular for his rebounds and pocketing from near the basket.

The 21-year-old is an excellent shot blocker as well. He snatches the ball once it bounces off the rim during offense. Edey uses his height to his advantage and neutralizes the opposition’s attacking tactics.

The 2023 National College Player of the Year was a force to reckon with during the 2022-23 NCAA men’s basketball season and was named the Conference Player of the Year for his university.

With 12.9 rebounds per game, Edey stood only second to the Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe in the rebounding list. For his spectacular performance, Edey also made it to the 2023 consensus All-Americans first team. The Toronto-born won all the major Player of the Year awards.

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Edey had an impressive average of 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. His performance helped his team win the Big Ten Championship and secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Will Boilermakers Bounce Back?

The Boilermakers with Edey’s return will be one of the most experienced teams in the 2023-24 season. They would be having 96.6 percent return of their starts from last season, and counting on guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer to improve as sophomores. Similarly, their forward Mason Gillis will give their coach an option of a second solid senior in the lineup. Looking at Lyles Colvin’s induction in the university as a four-star freshman could also benefit the team in the long run.

On the other hand, Edey will have to improve his endurance and stamina. The tall center lacks agility and speed and could hamper a few chances if he doesn’t take care of that. The 2023 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award winner will have to practice footwork so that he takes the onus for his team when needed the most.

Thus Purdue would be looking to make the most of Edey’s decision of returning to college basketball. And if the Canadian can better his game and perform during clutch moments without repeating any errors of the past, Purdue would be a team to watch.

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However, things can go haywire for them since basketball is a collaborative effort and other team members namely – Smith and Loyer will also have to be on-song during this season. Purdue will start their campaign on November 7 by competing with the Samford Bulldogs, which will set the tone for the rest of the period.