Mock Draft: Raptors Take Top Canadian Prospect in 1st Round

The story would almost be too perfect.

It was just four years ago that Zach Edey was viewed as the 436th-best prospect in high school basketball. He was an unknown center from Toronto who was never expected to amount to much. Sure, he had size, but these days size can only get you so far in the basketball world.

But now, everything has changed.

Edey is among the most recognizable prospects in this year's NBA draft, a two-time NCAA Player of the Year award winner, and one of the most dominant collegiate players in recent history. It's been hard to get a gauge on his draft range, but Bleacher Report's latest mock draft has the 7-foot-4 Canadian returning home to the Toronto Raptors when the No. 19 pick rolls around in next month's draft.

"At the least, Zach Edey may have opened scouts' imaginations at the combine with the comfort level he demonstrated making jump shots during drills. Regardless, for a center who measures just under 7'4" in socks with a near 7'11" wingspan, his touch and footwork have gotten sharp enough for scouts to picture a useful low-post scorer and offensive rebounder," Jonathan Wasserman wrote. "Teams deeper up front will look elsewhere. So will those who question how playable he'll be defensively in the playoffs. He'll be enticing to teams looking to add more size, physicality around the basket, and interior offense."

Toronto doesn't have an immediate need for frontcourt size with Jakob Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk both signed to multi-year deals, but the Raptors have made it clear they'd like to add a younger center to the mix at some point this summer. Christian Koloko's health issue and the loss of Jontay Porter this past year have left Toronto without a young big man to grow with the organization's young core.

Edey's size is really what sets him apart.

He measured with a 9-foot-7 standing reach and 7-foot-10.75 wingspan at the combine and the past few years have shown he uses all of that on the court. The Purdue senior averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game with a 62.3% field goal percentage on nearly 14 shots per game. He was nearly unguardable in the paint and if defenses were forced into mismatches on Edey, the Boilermakers were almost guaranteed to score.

Edey's role at the next level will certainly shrink, but the 22-year-old showed off his three-point shooting range at the draft combine and that could really open up a new area of his game. His screen-setting skills are impressive and if he can develop into a pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop player, he has a chance to be a special offensive talent.

Defensively there are more questions about Edey. He's not particularly agile and at times that gets exploited in pick-and-roll coverage. He can't defend the perimeter very well and it's not hard to see opposing offenses trying to pick on him the way other big men have been targeted in the NBA playoffs lately.

A decade or two ago, Edey would have been considered the top pick in the draft. His resume is as impressive as anyone's and players like Edey used to go high in the draft. But recent history has seen players with mobility questions like Edey fall further and further down the draft.

For Toronto, Edey should certainly be intriguing.

There are areas of his game that'll likely be issues moving forward, but his size and commitment to development make him a prospect that'll be hard to pass up. If that three-point shooting he showed earlier this month is real, Edey has a chance to be a very special player.