Purdue Basketball’s Zach Edey on his future plans
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Zach Edey, the shy, quiet kid Purdue brought to West Lafayette as part of a developmental project, grew up during three basketball seasons with the Boilermakers.
Now the 7-foot-4 junior center must decide if that chapter of his life is over.
On Friday night, after being on the wrong side of a shock NCAA Tournament loss to 16th seed FDU, Edey leaned forward in a folding chair in Purdue’s locker room and pondered his next move. cut.
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“I want to come back and I want to go to war with them, but at the end of the day I have to make the best decision for me,” said Edey, the Big Ten player of the year and a consensus All-American. . “I have no idea how long my career will last. I have no idea what will happen in my future.”
While Edey’s stock rose during a season where Purdue entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed after winning the regular season and Big Ten Tournament championships, he didn’t. never thought beyond this year.
Edey averaged 22.3 points and 12.9 rebounds per game as a junior.
“If there was no money involved, I would go back to Purdue in a heartbeat,” Edey said. “It would be a no-brainer. This is my favorite locker room I’ve ever been in. Ever. Any sport I’ve been in. Baseball. Hockey. Basketball. Any team. High school. AAU. Club team.
“It’s my favorite locker room I’ve ever been in.”
That’s why it’s so difficult.
On the one hand, Edey can make a lot of money if he chooses to play professional basketball. He knows basketball isn’t a lifetime career and you have to hit while the iron is hot.
On the other side, his best friends are at Purdue and everyone but David Jenkins Jr. and Matt Frost can come back next season.
“It’s something I’ve tried to think about as little as possible next year until now,” Edey said. “I was just trying to focus on our game. I was trying to focus on the season we had. I really tried to enjoy the moments we had. That’s something I have to consider now .
“I have to do what’s best for me and my family at this point. I have no idea what it’s going to be like.”
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue basketball’s Zach Edey on his future plans
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