History of Zach Edey in Timeline

Zach Edey is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. Renowned for his towering height of 7'4", he is the tallest player in Big Ten history and the tallest active NBA player. He played college basketball for the Purdue Boilermakers, leading them to the NCAA championship game. Edey was a dominant force in college, earning Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus National Player of the Year honors in both 2023 and 2024. He was drafted by the Grizzlies in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1936: Canada's Medal at Summer Olympics

In 2023, Canada won the bronze medal over the United States in the third-place game. This was Canada's first-ever World Cup medal, and first medal at a major global tournament since the 1936 Summer Olympics.

1982: Ralph Sampson's First Naismith Award

On April 7, 2024, Zach Edey was named Naismith College Player of the Year for the second year in a row, becoming the first player to win the award back-to-back since Ralph Sampson in 1982 and 1983. In 1982, Ralph Sampson first won the award.

1983: Ralph Sampson's Second Naismith Award

2000: Canada's Last Olympic Appearance

In 2023, Team Canada qualified to the 2024 Summer Olympics, marking their first Olympics appearance since 2000.

May 14, 2002: Zach Edey's Birth

On May 14, 2002, Zach Edey was born. He would later become a professional basketball player.

Others born on this day/year

2009: Evan Turner's Big Ten Player of the Week Record

During the 2022–23 season, Zach Edey received Big Ten Player of the Week six times. In 2009-10, Evan Turner achieved the record for most Big Ten player of the week awards.

2016: Caleb Swanigan's Big Ten Player of the Week Record

During the 2022–23 season, Zach Edey received Big Ten Player of the Week six times, matching the school record for most awards in a single season, previously achieved by Caleb Swanigan in 2016–17. Swanigan shared the school record for Big Ten player of the week.

2020: Commitment to Purdue

In 2020, Zach Edey reclassified to the 2020 class and committed to playing college basketball for Purdue, choosing them over offers from Baylor and Santa Clara, among others.

March 2, 2021: Season-High Performance Against Wisconsin

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

January 3, 2022: Career-High Points and Rebounds Against Wisconsin

On January 3, 2022, Zach Edey recorded a then-career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds in 20 minutes during a 74–69 loss to Wisconsin.

February 26, 2022: Career-High Points Against Michigan State

On February 26, 2022, Zach Edey recorded a career-high 25 points in 22 minutes during 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 achieved two milestones: becoming the 55th player in Purdue's history to reach 1,000 career points and the 11th player to reach 100 career blocks.

2022: Big Ten Athlete of the Year Award

After the end of the 2022–23 school year, Zach Edey was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Year across all men's sports, sharing honors with women's recipient Caitlin Clark.

May 31, 2023: Opting Out of 2023 NBA Draft

On May 31, 2023, Zach Edey announced his decision to opt out of the 2023 NBA draft and return to Purdue for his senior season.

2023: Big Ten Player of the Year

In 2023, Zach Edey was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus National Player of the Year.

2023: FIBA Basketball World Cup Selection

In 2023, Zach Edey was selected by coach Jordi Fernández to play in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, becoming the only college player on the team.

January 5, 2024: 1,000 Career Rebounds

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

January 28, 2024: Surpassing 2,000 Career Points

On January 28, 2024, Zach Edey scored 26 points in a win against Rutgers, surpassing 2,000 points for his collegiate career, making him the sixth player in Big Ten Conference history to have 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

February 18, 2024: Purdue Rebound Record

On February 18, 2024, Zach Edey broke the Purdue career record for rebounds with 1,321, passing Joe Barry Carroll in a game against Ohio State.

February 26, 2024: Declaration for 2024 NBA Draft

On February 26, 2024, Zach Edey announced that he would not use his extra year of eligibility gained from COVID-19 to return to Purdue for the 2024–25 season and declared for the 2024 NBA Draft.

March 16, 2024: Purdue Career Point Record

On March 16, 2024, Zach Edey broke the Purdue career record for points with 2,516, passing Rick Mount.

April 7, 2024: Naismith College Player of the Year

June 26, 2024: NBA Draft Selection

On June 26, 2024, Zach Edey was selected with the ninth overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024 NBA draft.

June 30, 2024: Withdrawal from Team Canada Consideration

On June 30, 2024, Zach Edey withdrew himself from consideration for Team Canada, opting to play for the Grizzlies in NBA Summer League instead.

2024: NBA Draft and Player of the Year

In 2024, Zach Edey repeated as the Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus National Player of the Year and was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA draft.

2024: Olympics Berth Secured

On September 3, 2023, the team qualified to the quarter-finals, securing a berth at the 2024 Summer Olympics, the first Olympics appearance for Team Canada since 2000.