There were more than a few snickers when the Memphis Grizzlies took Zach Edey with the ninth-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He was a moderate long shot to be taken in the top 10 as DraftKings offered it at +275.
However, people aren't laughing anymore as the former Purdue star put the league on notice with a dazzling debut in the NBA Summer League. The arrow for his Rookie of the Year Award odds had already been pointing up, but his performance put him over the top as he’s now the favorite (+600), according to BetMGM.
Edey lit it up in his debut, posting a double-double with 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks against the Utah Jazz. He also came up clutch, tipping in a missed free throw in the final second to force overtime.
Edey authored one of the more dominant collegiate careers in recent memory. In fact, he was named the AP Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2022 and 2023), becoming the first player in over 40 years to do so.
Still, many questioned if the 7-foot-4 center had what it took to be an impactful NBA player. Summer league is a far cry from what he’ll experience when the regular season rolls around, but he was so impressive that he leapfrogged Alexandre Sarr (+700) and Zaccharie Risacher (+800) to become the betting favorite.
NBA Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Zach Edey | +600 |
| Alexandre Sarr | +700 |
| Zaccharie Risacher | +800 |
| Dalton Knecht | +900 |
| Stephon Castle | +1000 |
| Reed Sheppard | +1100 |
| Matas Buzelis | +1200 |
| Tidjane Salaun | +1400 |
| Ron Holland | +1400 |
| Cody Williams | +1500 |
| Donovan Clingan | +1800 |
| Rob Dillingham | +1800 |
