Zach Edey is one of the hyped big men in the 2024 NBA Draft who is expected to make a splash in the coming season. It seems that the Memphis Grizzlies rookie is slated to continue building on that hype as his recent photos see him gaining some muscle in a workout – sparking a promising expectation for the big man in the coming season.

When the Memphis Grizzlies initially drafted him out of Purdue, Edey was more of a beast-type big man among centers. That was his main strength in college – allowing him to become a dominant big man in the game and even leading his team to the NCAA Final, where they fell to the UConn Huskies. Now that he is taking his game to the next level, it does seem that Edey is on the right track.

In a recent photo where he is working out with fellow Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, it seems that Zach Edey looked leaner than before, probably losing a lot of fat and converting it into muscle, being slimmer than he did before in college, which should really make a strong case for him as one of the hyped performers in the coming season.

Slimming Trend for Centers

The modern NBA has changed the dynamic so much for the center position in the game. Over the years, we have seen strong big men go extinct due to many teams favoring the flexible point forwards who can actually handle the ball and even stretch the floor with their three-point shooting. This has been the trend over the years, and needless to say, the previous season was enough proof that this is currently seen by teams as the meta in the league.

The 2023-24 season was headlined by two talented rookies, Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. These two players are the modern definition of centers in the NBA, with both stars being able to dribble the ball and come up with shots from almost anywhere on the court, and it cannot even be denied that their slim build is truly quite the trend that the league is seeing among its big men so far – such as Kristaps Porzingis, Karl-Anthony Towns, and even Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Size does matter – and if you have heard of how Kenneth Lofton Jr. was supposed to dominate the league with his sheer size a la Shaquille O’Neal, the rookie now went on to play in the NBA G League, which just says a lot about how he did not fit well in many teams’ gameplan.

Building on a Hype in the Season

Zach Edey stands at 7-foot-4, making him the tallest player in the game. Selected ninth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Purdue product was initially set to be a top-three pick. Many fans are hoping to see him prove his critics wrong after he fell off the top five and show that he has what it takes to bring his game to the next level for Memphis.

In his four-year run with Purdue, Edey averaged 18.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. His last season saw him average multiple career-highs, tallying an average of 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 2.0 assists per game on a staggering 62.3% shooting, including 50% from three – which made him a promising prospect heading to the season.