The importance of Grizzlies center Zach Edey in the Wembanyama era

Considering where the league is going, it would be a big setback if the Memphis cornerstone doesn't become a key player.

Jan 15, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots over Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA finals in his third season, and he’s still far from his final form. He will eventually be the kingpin similarly to how LeBron James was for many years controlling his conference. So, it’s important for teams to have tools to slow him down.

In the old days, Shaquille O’Neal was such a load to deal with that a renowned defender like Dikembe Mutombo couldn’t do anything with him when the pass was caught deep enough. Most of that had to do with the size difference, and most players are getting caught in a different, yet just as impactful, mismatch checking Wembanyama from short, mid and long range. 

Yet there is one guy who has comparable size to Wembanyama: Zach Edey, which means that he needs to make him work in their matchups. Consider how much of a break the Spurs got because Wemby wasn’t guarding Isaiah Hartenstein, instead playing help defense on paint invaders. He had extra juice in his legs to hurt OKC offensively, and the same thing happened matched up with Minnesota's Rudy Gobert and Portland's Donovan Clingan. 

Whenever Edey has recovered from his second ankle surgery, he needs to get back in the lab to add another move to his post game. His jump hook is a fine weapon, but Wembanyama will eventually take it away. Perhaps he should give the Gasol brothers a call for some training because it should be his priority to never let an opposing big man beat him within 10 feet of the basket on either side. 

A West power emerges

May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Spurs will be a different team in a few years but their athletic nucleus of Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper will be there. If Edey becomes an inside force, it will limit San Antonio’s transition opportunities and they are dangerous with off-script plays, especially Wemby as the trailing shooter. So, he can't give teams a break when they go small against him, and part of this is becoming a better decoy and playmaker for others, so the Grizzlies keep oppontents in the half-court.

Dominating the inside applies to rebounding as well. The schemes he’s in will mostly have him in the back, so one of his goals should be to help the team allow the lowest amount of offensive rebounds. The Memphis Grizzlies were 29th in the regular season in that department, but Edey was only available for 11 games.

The other priority for him is sharpening his pick-and-roll defense. He can backpedal better than he got credit for on draft night, but he needs to be good enough so that elite ball handlers don’t hunt him down. He can get there, and it might be the most important development of his career.

Next season is not a make-or-break one for Edey, but the Grizzlies cannot afford for him to come back the same player.