I’m 7ft 4in, 300lb giant taller than Victor Wembanyama who took NCAA Tournament by storm before NBA rookie season

Zach Edey is having a standout rookie season.

The 7ft 4in, 300lb Canadian phenom – who’s taller than San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama – is a novel expertise with a throwback skill-set akin to the nice NBA huge males of yesteryear.

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He was one of the crucial well-known names within the 2024 NBA Draft, and was taken because the ninth total decide by the Memphis Grizzlies final June.

Standing at 7ft 4in, Edey is the tallest participant within the league, and has already been making his presence felt.

Regardless of a gradual begin that noticed him commit extra fouls than made subject purpose makes an attempt in his first 4 video games, the 22-year-old is already shaping right into a strong beginning heart for the Grizzlies.

He has continued to provide within the main space the crew wanted by main Memphis in rebounds per recreation, with 7.7, and his play has saved him within the high 5 of the Rookie of the 12 months race all through the season.

Due to work from Edey, in addition to extra established stars Jaren Jackson Jr and Ja Morant, the Grizzlies boast a strong 43-28 file and sit fifth within the Western Convention.

Memphis need to get again to the playoffs after lacking the minimize final 12 months.

However lengthy earlier than he was making an affect in his rookie NBA season, Edey lit up the school basketball scene and was the star of the 2024 NCAA Event that led to defeat for his Purdue Boilermakers within the nationwide championship in opposition to UConn.

Forward of his transition to the NBA, he proved an intimidating inside presence and low-post menace.

He additionally is aware of find out how to block a shot or two – and was even in comparison with the nice Shaquille O’Neal forward of final 12 months’s draft.

“One player who worked out against Zach Edey compared it to ‘trying to guard Shaquille O’Neal,'” NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony famous 12 months in the past.

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Givony added, “Zach Edey’s combination of size, power and intensity has been difficult to contain in a private workout setting, as there simply aren’t many players in the (2024) draft equipped to slow him down.”

That was actually a daring comparability, however maybe one that’s already ringing true within the Canadian’s rookie season.

Edey additionally put up Shaq-like numbers throughout March Insanity in 2024, changing into the primary participant to have three straight video games with no less than 20 factors and three blocks at The Huge Dance since O’Neal in 1991 and 1992.

The ‘Contained in the NBA’ host caught wind of these performances and even christened him with a brand new nickname.

“I’m changing your name to Zachille O’Neal,” The Huge Diesel stated final 12 months.

Like Shaq, Edey does his finest work contained in the paint, and loved a stellar school profession.

March Insanity Prime Tales

However that is about the place the similarities finish.

O’Neal was seen as a generational expertise popping out of LSU in ’92 and was the consensus No. 1 total decide in that 12 months’s draft.

Regardless of his huge body, The Huge Aristotle was freakishly athletic and cell, and had no issues getting up and down the court docket on a nightly foundation.

Edey, early in his NBA profession, is manner stiffer and nowhere close to as fast or explosive as Shaq was throughout his early years – however he’s actually no scrub.

He received the Nationwide Participant of the 12 months Award in 2023 and 2024, changing into the primary participant to win back-to-back awards since Invoice Walton in 1971 and 1972, and dropped 37 factors in a valiant however dropping effort to the Connecticut Huskies within the nationwide title recreation.

Edey is already catching the attention in his rookie season 12 months on, and if the Grizzlies do get again to the playoffs, he’ll little question proceed to play an enormous half in that effort.

Find out how to watch March Insanity within the UK

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March Insanity is without doubt one of the most fun instances of the 12 months for basketball followers, with a complete of 68 groups battling it out to grow to be the Division 1 school champions.

This 12 months UConn have the possibility to grow to be solely the second crew ever to finish a March Insanity three-peat, having emerged victorious for the final two years.

talkSPORT may have the most recent information on the event, however for UK basketball followers the best way to observe is thru Sky Sports activities. The broadcaster might be exhibiting EVERY March Insanity recreation by means of their Sky Sports activities + streaming service.

Click here to sign up to a Sky Sports subscription, or learn our article on the most effective Sky Sports activities offers out there now.