Everyone had a take on Zach Edey before he even laced up for the Memphis Grizzlies. Some called him a "relic" who would get played off the floor by modern NBA spacing. Others thought his 7-foot-4 frame was a cheat code that would translate immediately.
When the 2024 preseason finally arrived, the reality was way more interesting than the Twitter debates.
Looking back at the Zach Edey preseason stats, the raw numbers tell a story of high-efficiency dominance mixed with the expected "welcome to the league" growing pains. He didn't just stand there and be tall; he actively changed how the Grizzlies played while he was on the hardwood.
The Game Logs That Silenced the Skeptics
Edey didn't play a massive amount of minutes, but he was incredibly productive when he was out there. Across 5 preseason games, he averaged about 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in just roughly 20 minutes of action.
That is per-minute production that most veterans would kill for.
His breakout moment came against the Indiana Pacers on October 14, 2024. In just 19 minutes, Edey went off for 23 points and 9 rebounds. He shot 10-of-15 from the field. It wasn't just dunks, either. He was hitting those signature baby hooks and showing a level of touch that made the Pacers' interior defense look nonexistent.
Honestly, the most shocking part of that Indiana game wasn't the scoring—it was the speed at which he operated. People said he was too slow for the NBA's pace. Then he goes and drops 23 in less than a single half of actual playing time.
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Breaking Down the Efficiency
If you're a stats nerd, his shooting percentages are where the real gold is.
- Field Goal Percentage: 50.0%
- Free Throw Percentage: 73.9%
- Total Points: 61 over 5 games
- Total Rebounds: 44
He wasn't forcing shots. He was taking what the defense gave him, which usually meant being bigger and stronger than everyone else in the paint. His free throw shooting—something people often overlook with giants—was steady. At nearly 74%, he isn't a guy you can just "Hack-a-Shaq" and hope for the best.
Why Zach Edey Preseason Stats Mattered for the Grizzlies
The Grizzlies were coming off a nightmare season of injuries. They needed a rim protector. They needed a presence.
Edey provided that immediately. In the preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks, he only scored 6 points, but he grabbed 7 boards and blocked a shot in 18 minutes. More importantly, he showed he could run the floor with Ja Morant.
Seeing a 300-pound man sprint the lane and finish a lob from Ja is... terrifying.
However, it wasn't all sunshine. The fouls were a problem.
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Edey averaged nearly 5 fouls per 36 minutes during the preseason. Against Dallas, he picked up 5 personal fouls in just 18 minutes. It’s a classic rookie big man hurdle. NBA refs whistle things that college refs ignore, and Edey had to learn that the hard way. He was often a step late on rotations, leading to "reach-in" or "body" fouls that limited his time on the court.
The Defensive Impact Nobody Talked About
While the points get the headlines, Edey's presence changed the Grizzlies' defensive profile. According to Second Spectrum tracking during the preseason, Edey was involved in the most post-ups in the league.
Opponents shot poorly when he was the primary defender at the rim.
He averaged 1.0 blocks per game in the preseason, but his "verticality" was the real story. He’s so big that players would drive into the paint, see him, and just... turn around. You can’t track that in a box score, but you can see it in the shot charts.
Comparing the Hype to the Performance
There was this narrative that Edey would be a "drop coverage only" defender. While he did play a lot of drop, the Grizzlies experimented with him hedging more than expected.
He isn't Bam Adebayo out there, obviously. But he isn't a pylon either.
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His Zach Edey preseason stats compared favorably to other rookie bigs from previous years. For context, his rebounding rate was higher than many All-Star centers' rookie preseason numbers. He finished the preseason with a total of 17 offensive rebounds. That’s nearly 3.5 "second chances" he created for Memphis every game just by existing near the rim.
Addressing the Fatigue Factor
One thing that scouts noticed was his conditioning. Playing at the NBA pace is different than the Big Ten.
In the game against the Chicago Bulls, Edey had 15 points and 8 rebounds, but he looked noticeably winded by the end of his shifts. It’s part of the process. You could see the coaching staff managing his stints, keeping him fresh so he could maximize those high-impact minutes.
What This Means for the Future
The preseason proved Edey is a legitimate NBA rotation piece, at the very least. He isn't a project. He's a 7-foot-4 problem that other teams have to game-plan for.
If you're looking at his trajectory, the most important takeaway from those October games was his chemistry with the starters. He fits the "Grit and Grind" culture perfectly, but with a modern scoring touch.
Practical next steps for following Edey’s progression:
- Watch the Foul Rate: Check the box scores of recent games to see if his "Fouls per 48 minutes" is trending down. This is the #1 factor in how many minutes he can actually play.
- Monitor Second-Chance Points: The Grizzlies' offense thrives when they get extra possessions. Watch if Edey stays in the top 10 for offensive rebounding percentage.
- Ankle Health: Keep an eye on injury reports. Edey has a history of minor ankle issues (including the stress reaction that sidelined him later). His availability is his best ability.
- The "Ja-Lob" Connection: Watch how many points he gets off transition dunks compared to post-ups. If he can score 6-8 points a game just by running the floor, his ceiling as a scorer goes through the roof.
The preseason was just a teaser. The stats showed a player who is too big to ignore and too skilled to be called a "bust." He's basically a walking double-double if he stays out of foul trouble.