Edey’s presence in National team program is only going to get bigger

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At 7-foot-4 and 290 pounds, Zach Edey is a tough guy to lose.

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He tends to stand out in a crowd.

Even as the lone 20-and-under and non-professional in camp with Canada’s Senior Men’s Basketball team, the Leaside, Ont. native is an imposing figure.

National team head coach Nick Nurse immediately saw the impact that kind of size could have for his National program and the lone invite to the only real amateur in camp was automatic for him.

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But the process is really just getting started for Edey.

Right now, he can do things the National team can certainly use just because of his size, but it’s clear Nurse sees a much bigger role down the road.

Nurse first became aware of Edey three or four years ago when he was provided with some tape of this raw giant of a man.

“I think the wheels started turning about the uniqueness and specialty he could bring to the team and give us another piece to make us flexible,” Nurse said. “If we need a big and we’re doing some things, well, he’s big and he can go in there. It seems to be a factor in FIBA basketball – size and physicality and rim protection …

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“So yeah, I certainly want to see what we have in the short term where he can contribute now, but I’m kind of thinking where does this lead us as we go here with him. I am looking forward to it.”

Edey, opted not to enter the NBA draft this year, instead focusing on improving his game this off-season and then coming back for one more year at Purdue where he is already the focus of their offence.

Dwight Powell, another big, though not quite as big as Edey out of Toronto and a man with eight NBA seasons under his belt knows the asks of a big man in today’s NBA and he sees Edey already making the adjustments needed to take his game to the next level.

“He definitely has developed a lot,” Powell said of Edey who joined the Canadian National senior team a year ago in tryouts for the team that fell just short of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics.

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“I think he has made it an emphasis to improve his body and his movement and you can already see how he is defensively able to move a lot better,” Powell said. “I think that is a big key, especially with the bigger guys, being able to guard the pick and roll at the next level. That’s a question that guys have (with bigs coming into the NBA). So, he has the right mindset in terms of preparing himself for those situations going into next season.

“He also has a much better feel for the game,” Powell said. “His ability to literally catch the ball anywhere and be able to see guys is a huge advantage. There’s always an outlet with him and then his natural gifts just being around the basket speaks for itself. Developing into that next phase of basketball in terms of his pro career, he’s on the right path in terms of developing the things he needs to develop so if he keeps working hard, he will be able to make something happen.”

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Powell has no doubts that Edey has a future in the NBA.

“I think a 7-foot-4 guy with skill is still automatic,” Powell said. “But I see what you saying. The game is changing. The style of offence is changing and also the style of defence is changing and guys want to be able to switch everything, so that’s definitely a factor, but at the end of the day 7-foot-4 with skill is still a rarity that is coveted.”

Edey has quickly become part of the Senior Men’s family.

As Nurse points out his more veteran teammates just naturally cheer for the young guy in the group. It also hasn’t hurt that he’s both mature for his age and a likeable young man.

“He’s one of those guys everyone is rooting for all the time,” Nurse said. “He has that type of personality. Even when we are doing nothing, like three on zero offence and Zach dunks, you can hear a few more ‘Yeah Zach!’ or whatever. He fits in good with the crew.”

But make no mistake, Edey isn’t here as a favour to anyone. He is here because he makes the Canadian team better.

“He’s a problem on the offensive glass and he’s a little bit of a problem posting up as well,” Nurse said. “You have to use some people when he does get the ball in whatever fashion and it takes more than one to guard him so that gives us some spacing. Hopefully, the rim protection is going to be a factor as well.”

mganter@postmedia.com