North Carolina State forward and a star of this year's March Madness tournament, DJ Burns, had a hilarious comment while comparing himself to Purdue Boilermakers' center Zach Edey.
"It's just a 7 inch difference, that's about it, no diddy. But he's a great guy. He's gonna give us a hard fight but we won't scout him up any differently, we'll just stick to our game plan."
Burns' 'no diddy' was essentially his way of saying 'pause' after making a comment which is full of innuendo. It's obvious how his comment about a '7-inch difference' can be misconstrued, but it's clear Burns is focused on seeing Edey on the court.
Burns is averaging 18.3 points and 5.0 rebounds through the NCAA tournament, becoming a fan favorite for his on-court persona and size. Burns is a 6'9" 275-pound forward for the NC State Wolfpack.
He will face off against Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers in the Final Four of the Men's tournament to see who'll make it to the March Madness final.
The NC State forward wasn't on many draft boards this season, but some have wondered if this tournament run will lead to an NBA team seeing value in him. He is a 23-year-old senior, so this could be his final season in the NCAA, potentially opening the door to the NBA, though that might be unlikely.
Zach Edey Could Be An NBA Star
There are conflicting opinions on whether Zach Edey is a star-quality big man who can also succeed in the NBA. Edey is averaging 30.0 points, 16.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.8 assists on 65.6% shooting in the tournament, being named the Naismith National Player of the Year for his performances this season. He hopes to bring a national title to Purdue to solidify his legacy before entering the NBA Draft.
Dan Hurley, coach of the reigning champions UConn Huskies, believes that Edey should be a lottery pick and will be an NBA superstar comparable with the likes of Patrick Ewing and David Robinson.
"If Zach Edey is not like a lottery pick and a tremendous NBA player, then there's something wrong with the NBA, then they're maybe not playing the right game at that level. This guy has been dominant, brings you back to Ralph Sampson, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson type of performances at that spot."
While Hurley is tipping Edey to be a Hall of Famer and amongst the greatest centers in NBA history, some scouts believe that the 7'4" center will instead be the same as Boban Marjanovic.
“People are talking about Edey going in the first round and I’m asking myself if we’re really talking about a situational big man in the first round? Is he going to be a starter? No. Is he going to be a backup every night? Probably not. He’s Boban Marjanovic in my opinion.”
This is quite a range of opinions for one player, but we'll have to wait and see how his career plays out. For now, he'll have to try and convert his National Player of the Year title into a national championship alongside his teammates.
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