Zach Edey Wins John Wooden Award
Zach Edey, 7-4 and 300 lbs, has swept all six of the major National Player of the Year Awards in Men's College Basketball after being named the John Wooden Award Winner on Tuesday.
A disappointing first round exit in the tournament for Purdue could not overshadow the big man's dominance from the very start of the season.
When the season started, Purdue had no expectations, picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. Zach Edey certainly wasn't a favorite to win any national awards. Just two seasons before, Edey was a recruit no one but Matt Painter. Someone who deemed likely to redshirt, an after thought with a recruit ranking outside the top-400.
But Edey surprised coaches then and did what he's done better than any college player in the last three seasons - he got better. In staggering, exponential waves, Zach Edey improved his game going into his sophomore season where he'd take over the starting spots at points in the season over entrenched All-B10 center Trevion Williams.
But nothing could ready the nation for the growth Edey showed in his third, and possibly final college season.
Edey went from a part time player to a center capable of playing every minute Matt Painter needed of him. Edey's minutes jumped from 19 a game his sophomore campaign to over 31 minutes a game this season. His efficiency didn't take a hit. Instead, Edey showed an expanded offensive game, a dominating glass presence, and improved mobility that allowed his size to take over on both ends of the floor.
He turned from part-time player to the undisputed best player in the country in one off-season.
Zach Edey's junior campaign will go down as one of the most dominant seasons in the history of college basketball. And if Edey's career ends after just three seasons, he will go down as not just the best of this season but an all-time great.
As it stands, Edey finishes his career with the highest player efficiency rating in NCAA history by a good margin. He's the best offensive rebounder in the history of the Big Ten and third best in the NCAA. His total rebound percentage is the best in Big Ten history and the 6th best in NCAA history. He has the highest offensive plus minus in the NCAA.
His junior year saw him average 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.1 blocks. He helped Purdue get a #1 seed and win both the Big Ten outright and the Big Ten Tournament.