Three Thoughts From The Weekend: Graduation, Zach Edey’s decision and more
GoldandBlack.com’s Three Thoughts from the Weekend column runs every Monday morning, with analysis of Purdue football, Boilermaker men’s basketball, recruiting or whatever else comes to mind. In this week’s edition, graduation weekend at Purdue, Zach Edey and more.
ON GRADUATION
Never before has the student part of “student-athlete” been more of an eye-roll-inducing pair of syllables than it is now — and it’s long been a punchline of sorts — as has been underscored in recent weeks and months by the sheer volume of young men and women who’ve been given their walking papers. That said that’s what made it so heartening to see a variety of Purdue athletes, and athletes all over I’m sure, celebrating getting a different kind of papers this weekend. Uh, diplomas, if that tortured writing wasn’t clear.
Think about everything that has changed in the past couple years and how much it has fundamentally changed the enterprise of college sports. There’s a lot to like, but for most people probably more to dislike. Now, consider the things you might not like and consider how much of it is tied almost exclusively to the upper 25 percent, the men and women with options, with demand. They’re the ones getting the big NIL money, legally or nor, and the ones with highest-level portal leverage. Now, what about everybody else? What about the third-string left guard who hurt his right shoulder as a freshman and was quickly ID’d as sunk cost? There are fewer institutional protections than ever for that kid. There will be players like that every year, as the portal becomes the Eraser for coaches’ recruiting mistakes or unwanted circumstances.
Anyway, not everyone will benefit to the same extent from this new world order, but there’s still that reward at the end of the tunnel from everybody. Get your degree, young ‘uns. You’ve earned this. Take what’s yours to take and celebrate your wins, whether they come in a uniform or a robe.
Purdue basketball (Photo: Chad Krockover)
ON ZACH EDEY
As Zach Edey heads to the NBA Combine this week, presumably to be sized and chatted up more than anything, I don’t think the first question is whether he can play in the NBA. If people believe he’s good enough, they’ll make a place for him and figure it out. It may not be the path of least resistance, but it will be a path.
The first question is whether his time to find out is now.
Obviously, money inevitably drives this, as it should, but on some level, Edey’s interest in coming back to Purdue and his interest in turning pro are the same: Development. Front-end money is great; back-end money is way better. They say that a player is more likely to develop with pro-level training resources and unlimited time to dedicate to them, no pesky classes to worry about, stuff like that.
As you know, Edey has barely played basketball relative to his peers, so the development part of this matters.
But what Edey also needs to do to develop is keep playing games, lots of them, and that’s where Purdue has the pro jump beat.
If Edey comes out next season, his experience level would offset his age as a potential knock. Realistically — realistically — is another year at Purdue going to transform Edey or reveal any cool new tricks to wow NBA scouts. No. He mostly is what he is at this point, but great at being that. But another year at Purdue also wouldn’t lay bare any new red flags for scouts looking for them. Everyone already knows what trade-offs come with playing those of glacial dimensions.
Point is, I guess, if Edey comes back to Purdue, I don’t think he’d be settling or altering his trajectory in any way. He’s right when he suggests he has only good options.
Hunter Dickinson is no longer a Michigan Wolverine. Photo by Hannah Fountain | CameraSport via Getty Images
ON BIGS
You know, this is a lousy Thought, but some weeks are better than others: If Edey does come back to Purdue, if being the reigning Player-of-the-Year wasn’t enough, he’d also take on a Big Ten that just will not be the same grind at center as it has been for years now.
Hunter Dickinson bailed Michigan for Kansas’ NIL payday and Trayce Jackson-Davis is gone from Indiana. Edey would be the lone All-America-level big back in the conference. Further, Rutgers’ Cliff Omoruyi is at the Combine too this week and rim-protecting, floor-runners are more relevant today than, say, Goliath size. Maybe Omoruyi leaves?
Who’s the best center who’ll definitely be playing in the Big Ten next season as of this moment? Julian Reese. Then who? Steven Crowl? Tarris Reed? Zed Key?
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