National player of the year Zach Edey of Purdue has declared for the NBA, but will keep open the option of returning to school next season.
“My basketball career has been unorthodox to say the least, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” Edey wrote on Twitter. “From ranked 437 in my recruiting class to national player of the year, I can’t put into words what Purdue University, my teammates, my coaches and our fans mean to me. Though we fell short of our ultimate goal this season, I loved every minute of it.”
Edey became the first player from Purdue to win the national player of the year award since Glenn Robinson in 1994. Robinson was the No. 1 overall pick that season. But where Edey fits in the draft is unclear in an evolving league that values 3-point shots and perimeter play over post players. That was one reason Edey’s former teammate, Jaden Ivey, went No. 5 overall in last year’s draft.