While much of the attention in the days leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft is focused on whom the Atlanta Hawks will take with the No. 1 pick or where Bronny James will land, Zach Edey’s draft position is also one of the more intriguing headlines people are discussing.
Edey, who won National Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons, led the nation in scoring (25.2 per game) and was third in rebounds (12.2 per game) last season.
While the big man is not in the conversation to be one of the top few picks, will he be a lottery pick?
Let’s take a look at Edey’s draft odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook):
ZACH EDEY DRAFT ODDS (as of 6/24)
To be No. 6 pick: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
To be No. 7 pick: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
To be. No. 8 pick: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
To be No. 9 pick: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
To be No. 10 pick: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
To be No. 11 pick: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
To be No. 12 pick: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
To be No. 13 pick: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
To be No. 14 pick: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
To be No. 15 pick: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
To be No. 16 pick: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
To be No. 17 pick: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Edey is currently the favorite to get drafted 17th at +700.
While Alex Sarr and Donvan Clingan seem to be higher ranked prospects at the center position, there are a handful of teams that are in need of a center or have been linked to acquiring another big man in the lottery.
The Houston Rockets (third overall pick), Portland Trail Blazers (seventh overall pick), Memphis Grizzlies (ninth overall pick), Oklahoma City Thunder (12th pick) and Miami Heat (15th pick) are among the teams in the top half of the first round who have frequently been connected to centers in recent mock drafts.
FOX Sports college basketball reporter John Fanta chimed in with his thoughts on the discussion.
“I’m going to say his range is from 15-25 and that he lands outside the lottery,” Fanta explained. “Edey is a generational college player and a tremendous story, but I think he falls outside the lottery because teams bet high on upside earlier in the draft, and he is going to be a guy who’s likely coming off the bench for 10 to 15 minutes per game.
Currently, Fanta has Edey going 19th to the Toronto Raptors in his latest mock draft.
“His combination of size, the amount of pressure he puts on the rim and his high IQ makes him a really intriguing talent in this class, and I could see the Orlando Magic at 18, his home nation Toronto Raptors at 19, the New Orleans Pelicans at 21 or the Phoenix Suns at 22 being prime candidates to take Edey.
“I do think in this class, Edey is a top 20-25 pick, but I’ll say he falls just out of the lottery.”
Why Zach Edey’s game will translate in the NBA
Regardless of where Edey lands, Fanta wanted to recognize the improbable path the big man has taken to become a likely first-round pick.
“It bears noting that it is downright wild that Edey’s only played organized team basketball for seven years and that he was the first repeat Men’s National Player of the Year since Virginia legend Ralph Sampson completed the feat in 1981, ’82 and ’83,” Fanta said. “I also do not think anybody helped their draft stock in this class in one final season of college basketball more than the 7-4, 300-pound Canadian native did. To average 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game is absurd productivity and why the Boilermakers made it to the national championship for the first time since 1969.”
Where do you think Edey will land? Follow along with FOX Sports for the latest betting news on the NBA Draft.
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