Zach Edey soared in odds to win the Rookie of the 12 months after a terrific begin within the Summer season League/ [Image: Flickr.com / Michael Tipton]

A robust begin

Memphis Grizzlies rookie heart Zach Edey solely wanted one Summer season League recreation to soar to the highest of the percentages board for the Rookie of the 12 months (ROTY) award. 

now +700, second to solely second-overall choose Alexandre Sarr

Edey, one in every of simply two two-time NCAA Nationwide Participant of the 12 months winners ever, was all the best way down at +2500 to win ROTY when odds first went stay. In accordance with BetMGM, the 7-foot-4 rookie is now +700, second to solely second-overall choose Alexandre Sarr at +600.

Is a market correction coming for Edey, or will he proceed to ascend in one of the crucial perplexing Rookie of the 12 months races in current NBA historical past? Let’s dive into the reply.

Zach Edey for Rookie of the 12 months

The Grizzlies shocked the basketball world by taking Edey with the ninth choose within the 2024 NBA Draft. He had a projected draft place of over/below 15.5 and was +250 to be drafted within the prime 10.

Regardless of preliminary criticism, the Grizz’s entrance workplace obtained early vindication when Edey produced an impressive efficiency in his first recreation of the summer time league.

In 34 minutes, the 22-year-old went for 14 factors (7-12 FG), 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a two-point loss to the Utah Jazz, who many consider has one of the best workforce within the Summer season League. Edey additionally had a +1 within the field plus-minus, making him the one participant in Memphis’ beginning 5 to complete with a optimistic affect within the last rating.

Some of the spectacular elements of Edey’s efficiency was that he was guarded by Walker Kessler, a 7-footer with two years of NBA expertise and an everyday member of the Jazz’s rotation.

Edey was one of the best participant on the ground in a Grizzlies uniform

It’s additionally vital to say that on a workforce with GG Jackson, Jake LaRavia, and Scottie Pippen Jr., all gamers that bought actual minutes for Memphis final yr, Edey was one of the best participant on the ground in a Grizzlies uniform. 

Edey was priced at +1200 to win the Rookie of the 12 months award on June 26 and fell to +900 final Wednesday. That very same day, BetMGM reported that 51.3% of the betting deal with for ROTY was on Edey to win the award.

That’s together with 16% of whole tickets, the second-highest quantity behind solely Bronny James (33.3 %).

Speedy betting motion

The ascension of Zach Edey in Rookie of the 12 months odds shouldn’t come as a shock, given his current dominance on the school stage. Nevertheless, it does add yet one more wrinkle to what was already a complicated yr for upcoming rookies.

The 2024 NBA Draft class was thought of one of many weakest in a long time with probably no All-Stars within the discipline. As proof, first-overall choose Zaccharie Risacher is +800 to win Rookie of the 12 months. That’s third behind Sarr and Edey, however solely simply forward of Dalton Knecht (+900), the seventeenth choose within the draft. That signifies that the primary choose is just one.1 % extra more likely to win Rookie of the 12 months than the seventeenth choose, in line with the implied chance of betting odds.

one other indication of how congested the rookie class is

A spread of +1200 odds is all that separates the odds-on favourite (Sarr) from the Thirteenth-most seemingly ROTY winner, Rob Dillingham (+1800). That is simply one other indication of how congested the rookie class is.

Edey will seemingly slot into the Grizz’s beginning lineup, alongside Ja Morant, Marcus Sensible, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. However earlier than he can do this, he and the Grizzlies have extra enterprise to take care of within the Summer season League, beginning with a Tuesday matchup in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Zach Edey Rookie of the 12 months phenomenon will seemingly hit one other stage if he produces one other sturdy efficiency in opposition to Philly, who beat the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder 102-92 of their first recreation. Adem Bona, a middle who is just 6-foot-8, will seemingly draw the task of guarding Edey.