After a robust begin to his summer season league debut, Zach Edey greater than made up for a late blunder on Monday evening in Salt Lake Metropolis.
Remarkably, it wasn’t fairly sufficient to elevate the Memphis Grizzlies to the win.
The previous Purdue star, who the Grizzlies chosen with the No. 9 general decide in what was in all probability essentially the most stunning transfer through the lottery portion of the NBA Draft final month, missed a possible game-winning putback dunk down the stretch on the Delta Middle in a summer season league matchup towards the Utah Jazz.
But with 0.8 seconds left on the clock, Edey pulled off a wild tip-in after an deliberately missed free throw to drive the additional interval. The play, which groups fail to transform most of the time every season, was completely executed.
Regardless of his heroics, the Jazz hit the goal rating within the Elam Ending-style extra time first off a pair of free throws from Keyonte George. He drew a foul from Edey on a drive to the rim earlier than hitting his sixteenth and seventeenth free throws of the evening to seal the 97-95 win. George, who the Jazz took with the No. 16 general decide final yr out of Baylor, had 30 factors within the win.
Edey fell right into a lull after a robust first quarter, however completed with a double-double with 14 factors and 15 rebounds whereas taking pictures 7-of-12 from the sphere. He threw down an enormous dunk over 7-footer Walker Kessler after recovering from a blocked shot within the fourth quarter that left him scratching his head as he ran again all the way down to the opposite finish.
The Jazz rallied out of a double-digit halftime deficit and took the lead with 18 seconds left within the fourth quarter after an enormous 3-pointer from Taylor Hendricks. That’s when Edey missed his dunk, which appeared to seal the loss for Memphis earlier than his tip-in stored its hopes alive.
Edey had six of his 15 rebounds within the first quarter. He picked up a technical foul after a small altercation proper earlier than halftime and went down in a scary second within the third quarter after he stepped on Hendricks’ foot. He rapidly returned to the sport, nonetheless, and completed out the evening seemingly unbothered by the rolled ankle.
Scotty Pippen Jr. led the Grizzlies with 21 factors and 5 assists whereas taking pictures 8-of-14 from the sphere. Jake LaRavia added 18 factors and 7 rebounds. Kessler completed with 10 factors, six rebounds and 4 blocks for the Jazz to go together with George’s 30-point evening. There have been 68 mixed fouls within the contest.
Edey averaged a nation-best 25.2 factors per sport final season at Purdue whereas incomes his second consecutive nationwide participant of the yr award, one thing the game hasn’t seen since Ralph Sampson gained three straight from 1981-83. Edey additionally averaged 12.2 rebounds, which was the second-best output within the nation, and a couple of.2 blocks per contest whereas main the Boilermakers to the nationwide title sport.
The 7-foot-4 Toronto native was projected as a late first-round or early second-round NBA decide after the NCAA match, however his inventory rapidly rose within the weeks and months main as much as the draft. The Grizzlies have been reportedly in negotiations to commerce up for the No. 6 general decide within the draft, however these fell via within the closing moments. Edey was the second heart off the board. UConn star Donovan Clingan was chosen No. 7 general by the Portland Path Blazers.
Edey and the Jazz can be again in motion Tuesday and Wednesday towards the Philadelphia 76ers and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, respectively, earlier than they head to Las Vegas for extra summer season league motion on Friday. Whereas he wasn’t constant the whole evening, Edey confirmed flashes of the middle he could be for the Grizzlies this season on Monday. So far as summer season league debuts go, Edey is in a superb place.
