Class of 2020 big man Zach Edey sets Purdue official visit
More ($): 2020 Purdue commitments
As it looks to round out its 2020 recruiting class with a big man, Purdue will host Canada native Zach Edey for an official visit this weekend, Edey said.
The 7-foot-3, 285-pound center from IMG Academy in Florida was offered by Purdue earlier this month, after head coach Matt Painter visited him.
Now, this weekend, he'll reciprocate.
"I want to see the campus, and I think they have a scrimmage I can check out," Edey said, referring to Saturday's fan day scrimmage in Mackey Arena. "They can (tell) you things, but actually getting to see it in a game will be valuable for sure."
The recruiting process has been an abbreviated one for Edey, who reclassified up a year, moving from the Class of 2021 to 2020, effectively cutting a year out of his window for being recruited.
Baylor has long been involved and remains so. Edey visited Waco officially before his reclassification. Minnesota and Seton Hall are two other high-majors who've offered, while TCU and Florida State are also interested. SMU, Tulane and Santa Clara (where Edey recently visited) have also offered.
"My recruitment's still wide open," Edey said. "I'm just trying to find the right fit for the next four years, making sure I find the right one, because transferring is the worst-case scenario."
Edey said that even though Purdue came into the picture only recently, its reputation preceded it, that the Boilermakers were a program he was interested before it was interested in him.
"They're known for having a lot of big people, and I'm a big person, so I figured it would be a good fit," Edey said.
Purdue's point of comparison probably isn't difficult to figure out.
"My post presence, my paint presence, is what they liked most about me," Edey said. "They said there are some similarities to Isaac Haas, and they work out of the post a lot."
Edey is a very different player, though.
"I think I'm really good sealing the low post and skilled around the basket," he said. "I can shoot hook shots. And I'm quick, for my size, people don't realize that, that I'm 285 and I can move my feet pretty well when needed and guard people smaller than me when I need to. And I'm definitely a shot-blocker and rebounder."
Purdue has 2020 commitments from guards Jaden Ivey and Ethan Morton and has long looked for a frontcourt player to finish off what's likely to be a three-man class.
Though he's more of a perimeter player himself, newly available D'Andre Davis of Lawrence Central is drawing Purdue interest, too.
Fresh off backing off a long-standing commitment made to Nebraska under its former coaching staff, Davis said that Painter will visit him Wednesday evening.
"I'm definitely weighing all my options," Davis said. "Purdue's been a great program over the years and Coach Painter's been one of the top coaches in the Big Ten and in college basketball. I'm definitely interested in what they have to say."
Xavier and Butler are among others who've shown immediate interest in Rivals.com's No. 109-ranked player nationally.
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