Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey is scheduled to undergo surgery after he sustained a second sprain to the same ankle during a recent offseason workout, the team announced. While the organization did not provide a specific timeframe for his return, ESPN`s Shams Charania has reported that Edey will “likely” be sidelined for the commencement of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Edey`s agent, Mark Bartelstein, informed ESPN that the decision for surgery was made following consultations with the Grizzlies and multiple medical specialists. Bartelstein stated, “After consulting with the Grizzlies and multiple specialists, we decided this is the best approach for Zach long-term as it gets him back to 100% with no limitations.” He added optimistically, “He will make a full recovery and be back better than ever.”
Edey`s initial ankle injury occurred in November during the first half of a game against the Denver Nuggets. He then aggravated the condition after halftime during the same game. This previous injury forced Edey to miss a total of 12 games.
In his rookie campaign after being selected ninth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies, Edey, who was a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year at Purdue, appeared in 66 games. He averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per contest. His performance earned him a spot on the All-Rookie team and a fifth-place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Edey also participated in all four of Memphis` playoff games during their series loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Across those four appearances, he averaged 6.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks over an average of 27 minutes per game.
Jasper Hawthorne