The Memphis Grizzlies and their fans are holding their collective breaths.
Center Zach Edey, the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, suffered a scare after rolling his ankle awkwardly during Summer League action on Thursday.
Zach Edey heads to the locker room after landing awkwardly on his ankle. pic.twitter.com/ntQ5KuwKKr
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 18, 2024
While leaping in the air to contest a shot near the basket, Edey landed on the foot of guard Jordan Ford, twisting his right ankle in a way it's not supposed to go. Edey laid on the hardwood briefly before being helped up to his feet by teammates.
Those in attendance could see and hear Edey's frustration. According to Jessica Benson, a Grizzlies host, the former Purdue standout said, "F--- man, I just want to play."
The Grizzlies ruled Edey out for the remainder of the contest. After receiving assistance in the locker room, the 7-foot-4 big man was seen standing on the sidelines with his ankle heavily iced but appeared no worse for the wear.
Zach Edey’s right ankle is wrapped with ice, but he’s bearing weight and seems to be talking around okay https://t.co/mCmG60yjln pic.twitter.com/TYFwNKijqV
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) July 18, 2024
After missing only two games over four collegiate seasons, Edey is all of a sudden made of glass.
Edey shined in his Summer League debut but also left that game early with an ankle injury. He sat out the Grizzlies' next matchup on July 17, only to return the following day and suffer another potential setback.
The team has been largely mum on the top-10 picks' status, but they could simply be operating under an abundance of caution. However, injury scares only days apart also raise questions about why the Grizzlies have Edey playing in meaningless Summer League games.
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Edey is the odds-on favorite (+600) to win the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
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