Zach Edey is big. Like really big. Like three bowls of Lucky Charms cereal as an appetizer big. He’s also been huge this year on the court. So far, he’s averaging 23.2 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. In the first Big 10 game of the year, he put up 31 and 22 against Minnesota and followed that up with 23 and 18 against Hofstra. Obviously, these numbers aren’t sustainable. When he goes up against better defenses later in the season, the double teams will come a lot faster and will feature taller, more athletic wings. But will it even matter?
Something about Edey is different this year. It’s not his hair. His Herman Munster cut looks the same. But he does seem a little lighter on his feet which is odd because he’s always been such a plodder. Maybe he started taking yoga or hip hop dance classes at the West Lafayette YMCA this summer. How spectacular would it be to share a hip hop dance studio with the Big Maple?
Maybe it just took a few seasons to get the Canadian niceness out of him. We all know Canadians are the nicest people in the world because they have guaranteed healthcare and racism and sexism don’t exist in Canada. When you live in a Utopia like that, it’s hard to have a mean streak. How can you dunk on someone or constantly block their shot when you know the opposing player is just trying to play in the league and support their family? It would be rude and for the first three years of his career, Edey didn’t seem too interested in dominating the way his size would suggest he’s capable of dominating.
But this year is different. He’s making decisions a lot faster this year. If you’re not going to double him immediately, he shoots that downward jump hook. If you double, he looks for the open man. It’s kinda that simple. And when it comes to Edey, simple is all we need. He’s also fouling a lot less this year. So far in 2022, Edey has only gotten four fouls in a game twice which speaks to his maturity.
Last week his Wooden Award odds were +350. As of today, they’re down to +200. Even if his numbers come back to reality in the Big 10 regular season, he’s so far ahead of everyone through the first 9 games of the year, I don’t think it will matter. Tshiebwe won’t win it again because he’s making too much NIL money to care. Trayce Jackson-Davis won’t win because he has three names. Guys with three names never win awards. Plus, he’s soft as butter in big games. Timme can’t win it because the Zags lost too many games early, including a blowout loss to Purdue. That leaves Jalen Wilson as our only real competition but Kansas’ road in the Big 12 will be brutal (Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech) and Edey scores a lot easier than Wilson.
Give yourself a gift this holiday season. Take a few shekels and bet em on Zach Edey to be named this year’s Wooden Award Winner. If your wife doesn’t mind that you’re a degenerate gambler, she’ll thank you. Or you’ll thank you. And that’s more important.
Happy Gambling!
