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ESPN Projects Purdue's Zach Edey Goes No. 15 in 2024 NBA Draft

Zach Edey might wind up being closer to a lottery pick than most people think. ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo recently released their latest mock draft and have the former Purdue center going No. 15 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The top 14 picks are considered "lottery picks," as those teams did not reach the NBA playoffs.

ESPN's mock draft has Edey landing with the Miami Heat at No. 15 overall in this year's draft. The 7-foot-4 center was a two-time unanimous National Player of the Year while playing with the Boilermakers.

"Edey's positional fit alongside Bam Adebayo would be a topic of discussion in Miami, but his productivity, physicality, intensity and cultural match would be welcomed by the Heat," Givony writes. "Adebayo has started to slowly incorporate a 3-point shot into his offensive arsenal late this season and has the type of defensive versatility that could be useful alongside another big man. Edey's offensive rebounding and interior scoring are skills the Heat don't have much of, making him an attractive pick here."

Last season, Edey averaged 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game for the Boilermakers. He led the program to a 34-5 record and its first trip to the national championship game since 1969.

Edey had an incredible career at Purdue, transitioning from an overlooked prospect out of high school to a two-time Naismith National Player of the Year. He left a major impact in West Lafayette, leading the Boilermakers to back-to-back Big Ten regular season titles (2023, 2024), a Big Ten Tournament championship (2023) and the program's first Final Four trip since 1980.

Edey also leaves Purdue as the program's all-time leading scorer and leading rebounder. His name and number are already hanging from the rafters at Mackey Arena as a two-time All-American selection.

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