Typically, when a college basketball player wins the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Award, Wooden Award, and AP Player of the Year Award, the NBA Draft is usually the next stop.
Not for Purdue’s big man, Zach Edey.
Edey announced on Twitter Wednesday night that he will be returning to the Boilermakers program for his senior season despite having such a strong junior year.
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Zach Edey of Purdue University receives the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year trophy during the 2023 Naismith Hall of Fame Brunch at The Ballroom at Bayou Place on April 2, 2023, in Houston. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)
“RUN IT,” Edey captioned his post with a “The Wolf of Wall Street” gif.
Edey used his entire 7-foot-4 frame to lead the Boilermakers with 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game in the paint in 34 games. He also shot 60.7% from the field.
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Like all NBA prospects, Edey checked out the NBA Draft Combine to see what the teams thought of him. But despite his numbers last season, Edey has been projected as a second-round pick.
While his size and 7-foot-10.5 wingspan have shown he can dominate the college game, scouts and evaluators believe he’ll have some trouble dealing with smaller, more athletic centers in the league.
Zach Edey poses for a portrait during the NBA Draft Combine Circuit on May 16, 2023 in Chicago. (Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images)
Returning for his senior season could lead to Edey working in places NBA teams want to see cleaned up, which could increase his draft stock.
Then again, there’s also some redemption for the Boilermakers after they were on the wrong side of history after losing to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson University as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in March. It was only the second time in history that this had happened.
Zach Edey of the Purdue Boilermakers dunks against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights during the first half of the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
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With Edey back in the mix for next season, the Boilermakers are expected to be a top team in the Big Ten again.