Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Zach Edey

Discover the career path of Zach Edey, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Zach Edey is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies, notable for his exceptional height of 7 feet 4 inches. He played college basketball for the Purdue Boilermakers, achieving significant success, including leading his team to the NCAA championship game. Edey earned the Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus National Player of the Year awards in both 2023 and 2024. He was drafted in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft by the Grizzlies and holds the distinction of being the tallest active player in the NBA.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2020: Commitment to Purdue

In 2020, Zach Edey reclassified to the 2020 class and committed to playing college basketball for Purdue.

March 2, 2021: Season-High Performance

On March 2, 2021, Zach Edey recorded a season-high 21 points and seven rebounds in a 73–69 win over Wisconsin.

2021: FIBA Under-19 World Cup

In 2021, Zach Edey represented Canada at the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup, leading his team to the bronze medal and being named to the all-tournament team.

January 3, 2022: Career-High Points

On January 3, 2022, Zach Edey recorded a then-career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 74–69 loss to Wisconsin.

February 26, 2022: Career-High 25 Points

On February 26, 2022, Zach Edey recorded a career-high 25 points in 22 minutes in a 68–65 loss to Michigan State.

May 24, 2022: Commitment to Canadian National Team

On May 24, 2022, Zach Edey agreed to a three-year commitment to play with the Canadian senior men's national team.

December 17, 2022: 1,000 Career Points and 100 Career Blocks

On December 17, 2022, Zach Edey reached 1,000 career points and 100 career blocks in Purdue's history.

2022: Big Ten and Sporting News Player of the Year

At the close of the 2022–23 season, Zach Edey was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and Sporting News National Player of the Year, as well as first-team All-American and Big Ten Athlete of the Year.

2022: Big Ten Player of the Week

During the 2022–23 season, Zach Edey received Big Ten Player of the Week six times, tying the school record.

May 31, 2023: Opting Out of NBA Draft

On May 31, 2023, Zach Edey announced that he was opting out of the 2023 NBA draft to return to Purdue for his senior season.

2023: FIBA Basketball World Cup

In 2023, Zach Edey played in FIBA Basketball World Cup, securing a berth at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

January 5, 2024: 1000 Career Rebounds

On January 5, 2024, Zach Edey became the second player in Purdue history to reach 1000 career rebounds.

January 28, 2024: Surpassed 2,000 Career Points

On January 28, 2024, Zach Edey surpassed 2,000 points for his collegiate career, becoming just the sixth player in Big Ten Conference history to have 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.