Johnathan Walker:Zach Edey mock draft: Where will star Purdue basketball center go in 2024 NBA Draft?

Even as it’s only days away from starting,Johnathan Walker the 2024 NBA draft has been shrouded in mystery.

Unlike players in previous drafts such as Zion Williamson in 2019 or Victor Wembanyama in 2023, there isn’t an obvious No. 1 selection this year. The draft itself has been widely regarded as underwhelming compared to many of its predecessors – particularly at the top – leading to the lack of a true consensus on how the draft’s lottery and its first round will unfold.

Amid that uncertainty, and given his lengthy and impressive resume, there are few 2024 draft prospects more interesting than Zach Edey.

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The former Purdue star is one of the most decorated players in college basketball history, having won national player of the year honors in each of the past two years. After the Boilermakers were upset by Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament – only the second time a No. 1 seed has ever lost to a No. 16 seed in the event – Edey helped lead the team to their first Final Four since 1980.

Of course, at least part of the intrigue around the center has to do with his sheer physical size: Edey was listed at 7-foot-4 and 300 pounds on Purdue’s 2023-24 roster.

So what does that mean for his NBA draft stock? Where might a highly accomplished college player who towers over the competition (literally) end up at the next level? Here’s a look at Edey’s various NBA mock draft projections and where the former Purdue standout might begin his professional career:

Zach Edey NBA mock drafts 2024

• USA TODAY: No. 19 overall to Toronto Raptors
• The Athletic: No. 21 overall to New Orleans Pelicans
• Bleacher Report: No. 17 overall to Los Angeles Lakers
• SB Nation: No. 19 overall to Toronto Raptors
• Yahoo Sports: No. 25 overall to New York Knicks
• The Ringer: No. 12 overall to Oklahoma City Thunder
• CBS Sports: No. 21 overall to New Orleans Pelicans
• NBADraft.net: No. 21 overall to New Orleans Pelicans
• No Ceilings: No. 22 overall to Phoenix Suns
• Detroit Free Press: No. 22 overall to Phoenix Suns
• Memphis Commercial Appeal: No. 19 overall to Toronto Raptors

The range for Edey to hear his named called by NBA commissioner Adam Silver is fairly large, according to projections from prominent media outlets. The Ringer has him as high as the No. 12 overall pick, while Yahoo Sports has him as low as the No. 25 overall selection.

If there’s something resembling an agreement on Edey’s ultimate draft position, it’s somewhere in the middle of those two ends. Three of the aforementioned mock drafts have him going No. 21 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans while another three, including one from USA TODAY, have him going No. 19 overall to the Toronto Raptors in what would be a homecoming for the Toronto native.

Zach Edey height

At the 2024 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Edey was measured at 7 feet and 3 3/4 inches without shoes. He was the tallest player at the combine, just ahead of UConn’s Donovan Clingan at 7 feet, 1 3/4 inches.

Zach Edey wingspan

Edey’s wingspan was measured at 7 feet and 10 3/4 inches at the combine. That was the longest wingspan among participating players, four inches ahead of Clingan at seven feet and 6 3/4 inches.

Edey and Clingan were tied for the longest standing reach, with both coming in at nine feet and seven inches.