Toronto’s Zach Edey was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies ninth overall

NEW YORK CITY — Zach Edey was selected ninth overall in the NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

The 22-year-old center from Toronto is the first Canadian to be drafted this year. Swiss-Canadian Kyshawn George was selected 24th overall by the New York Knicks, but was reportedly traded to the Washington Wizards.

Edey was a member of Canada’s senior men’s team that won bronze at the FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup in September and will play again for the national team at the Paris Olympics this summer.

He averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and two assists in 39 games for the Purdue Boilermakers during the 2023-24 season.

Edey’s NCAA career averages were 18.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 assists in four seasons with Purdue. Those numbers are lower because he only started twice that freshman year and played half as many minutes per game that season.

He won the Naismith Award on April 7 as the USA Basketball Player of the Year for the second time. He is only the third male player to win back-to-back Naismiths, joining Hall of Famers Ralph Sampson and Bill Walton.

George grew up in Monthey, Switzerland, and played for the Swiss national under-16 team in international competitions. His father Deon George is Canadian.

The 6-foot-6 George was a swingman for the University of Miami, averaging 7.6 points, three rebounds and 2.2 assists in 31 games his freshman season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 26, 2024.

The Canadian Press