Grizzlies’ Zach Edei dunking on Victor Vembanyama gets the fans buzzing

Zach Edey was one of the most polarizing players in all of basketball since he burst onto the scene back in his college days. Not many believed he could be a point guard for an NBA team given his mobility issues, but on Wednesday night, Eddie showed why in one play Memphis Grizzlies selected him as the ninth pick in the 2024 NBA draft. In a battle between Edei and another San Antonio Spurs big man, star Victor Wembanyama, it was the Grizzlies rookie who came out on top in Memphis’ 129-115 win over the Spurs.

Early in the game, Edei somehow recovered Ja Morant’s fumbled pass. Parked in the paint, Edei didn’t have to do much to get the ball through the hoop even though the Spurs star was draped over him. The Grizzlies rookie took a powerful dribble, gave Vembanyama a little push with his shoulder, then dunked effortlessly – not an easy feat against the most feared shot blocker in the league.

Edei is a big man who excels at occupying space in the paint. He stands at 7’4″, so anytime he gets the ball around the basket, it’s almost a guarantee that the Grizzlies will get two points, which is exactly what he did in this game.

What does he do? Edei is a good fit for the Grizzlies is that he isn’t exactly expected to be a game-changing spot at center; Memphis has significant depth in the frontcourt, meaning Edei’s weaknesses would not be as exposed. The Grizzlies are content to give Edeio around 17 to 25 minutes per game as he adjusts more and more to the speed of the NBA game.

The Grizzlies are coming off a big win against the Spurs

The Grizzlies were expected to have a bounce-back season with Ja Morant returning to full health. They’ve put together a pretty deep team, and they’re clicking, playing at the level they were when they finished as a two-seed in 2022-23.

In the win over the Spurs, the Grizzlies had six players score in double figures; in addition to the usual suspects like Morant, Desmond Bain and Jaren Jackson Jr., Santi Aldama, Luke Kennard and Jay Huff also came up with excellent scoring contributions. Their record improved to 26-15, cementing themselves as a top three team in the crowded West.