Zach Edey picks Joel Embiid as ideal scorer on his ultimate big man squad in NBA

It can be argued that Purdue’s Zach Edey has been the top collegiate basketball player for the past two seasons. As the reigning 2023 National Player of the Year, Edey has once again been a dominant force for the Boilermakers and is on track for another title. With his leadership, the team is now just two wins away from achieving a national championship, a feat that has never been accomplished in the program’s history.

In their victory over Tennessee in the Elite Eight, the Boilermakers demonstrated why the Canadian center has earned all of his praise. He scored 14 consecutive points and made a crucial block on Dalton Knecht of the Volunteers, ultimately ending their determined opponents’ chances of winning the title. Purdue’s next opponent in the Final Four will be North Carolina State.

With the attention focused on Zach Edey in Glendale, Arizona, as the top four college basketball teams gather, reporters approached him for an interview. One of the journalists asked him to create his ideal big man.

The Boilermakers’ leader thoughtfully chose Manute Bol for his size and Nikola Jokic for his high basketball IQ. For defensive and post skills, he looked to Hakeem Olajuwon, but struggled to decide on a player to emulate for rebounding skills. Initially, Edey mentioned Dennis Rodman, but ultimately settled on Andre Drummond.

Despite his recent knee injury that forced him to sit out for nearly a month, Zach Edey had no hesitation in naming Joel Embiid, the current NBA MVP and consecutive scoring champion, as the top scorer. Despite being the favorite to win his second MVP and third scoring title, “The Process”was unable to compete due to his injury.

Developing an Outside Game: The Next Step for Zach Edey to Reach Joel Embiid’s Dominance

Since developing his shot from mid-range to the three-point line, Joel Embiid has transformed into a dominant force that strikes fear in opposing defenses. This season, “The Process” is shooting 35.7% from beyond the arc, a number that falls just below the league average of 36.6%. With his combination of size, agility, power, and versatile scoring abilities, Embiid poses a daunting challenge for any defender.

Despite his incredible skills as a traditional big man, Zach Edey will need to make adjustments to succeed in the ever-evolving NBA game. Throughout his time with the Boilermakers, he only attempted two 3-pointers, a style that has become less prevalent in the league. While he may have been a top pick in the past, the 2024 draft will require a different set of strengths and abilities.

It is expected that Edey will be selected in the mid to late lottery or potentially even in the early second round of the draft. As the top player in college, he will need to develop his skills in order to surpass Joel Embiid’s scoring abilities.