One of the staples of Purdue’s offense is the pick and roll. The Boilermakers have had a lot of success with Zach Edey screening at the top of the key, then crashing down behind Braden Smith as he drives the lane. Smith tossing the ball up for a thunderous dunk has become a delicate ballet that brings the Purdue crowd to its feat with Carson Tucker bellowing “ZACH! EEEEEEEDEY” as the team hustles back up the floor.

That choreography is a long way from Edey’s first days in basketball according to Brian Nash, the Director of Basketball at the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida.