Zach Edei no longer looked ‘silly’ in the midst of an All-Star rise

The The Memphis Grizzlies flipped the script about their early season struggles, turning a potential embarrassment into a surge of confidence with back-to-back comebacks. Overcoming double-digit deficits to beat the New Orleans Pelicans (132-128) in overtime and the LA Clippers (112-107) lifted the Beale Street team into 10th place in the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies look like a team that is finally rediscovering its identity. Zach Edey is at the center of that shiftboth figuratively and literally, evolving from a bright young project to a legitimate All-Star contender in the process.

This locker room revealed something Memphis has been missing for some time. It doesn’t sound like Edea is going to let the Grizzlies slide back into bad habits any longer. The 7-foot-4 Canadian didn’t mince words when assessing what had changed, attributing the team’s resurgence to a renewed commitment to physical play and a collective disgust with their soft performances.

According to Edei, everyone on the roster knew they weren’t living up to expectations, and the way they played became embarrassing. That recognition, prompted during a halftime huddle in New Orleans, became the catalyst for the muscle building mantra.

“I think it says a lot about our group and the pride we have in being a physical, physical team,” Eddie said after beating the Pelicans. “Everybody knew we weren’t doing what we were supposed to be doing, and it made us look stupid.”

A reversal speaks to something deeper than adjusting or adjusting a scheme. It reflects a team that prides itself on being the stronger team when games get physical. For the Grizzlies, that identity is non-negotiable with FedEx Forum fans. They are who they are, and the lack of that standard was not acceptable. It is necessary to do the dirty work, even if there are no individual loans. Eddie knows it well with those jump assists.

“The way I look at it, defensive rebounding is more of a team stat,” Eday explained. “Offensive rebounding is an individual stat. As long as we get a defensive rebound, I’m cool. Offensively, you play like a rebounder.”

Such humility underscores why Edei is emerging as a cornerstone, his All-Star potential shining through in plays that don’t always add to the box score, but win games.

Zach Edei deserves respect

An unselfish approach helped cultivate the chemistry that now defines mixing at Grind City. Eddie described an environment filled with players who genuinely love what they do. The joy comes from competing hard, staying connected and playing winning basketball. That energy radiates through the entire bench, where everyone recognizes that they are part of something special.

“A lot of people are just enjoying basketball right now,” Eddy said. “We’re just enjoying the whole process of playing hard, playing together and playing great basketball. You can see that on our bench. Everyone knows we’re playing great.”

This contagious energy permeated the list, turning the Grizzlies into a unit it’s fun to watch and hard to beat, especially as Edei’s presence lifts everyone around him toward playoff contention. The depth of confidence in the team was underscored by the selfless act of backup center Jock Landale, who pushed for coach Tuomas Iisalo to play Edey in crunch time against the Pelicans, willingly giving up his own minutes. This display of Edie’s game-changing skills speaks volumes for the big man’s rising status.

“It means a lot,” Eday continued. “I know that everyone on the team and the staff has my back. They believe in me, they believe in letting me play through my mistakes. That’s all I really needed to help the team.”

Yet Edeus is not content to defend himself and facilitate; he sees more aggression in the color moving forward. Bolstered by that confidence, he now focuses on expanding his offensive impact. While praising his unselfish play, he recognizes the need to put his size and talent to better use.

“I have to look to score more goals,” emphasized Edey. “The last few games I’ve been getting offensive rebounds and going straight to the layup. Yeah, usually someone is open at the three-point line, but I’m definitely looking for more opportunities to score.”

Perhaps it’s the next step in the evolution of players and teams learning to harness their collective strength, one tough possession at a time.

The Grizzlies are right

This turnaround is still in its early stages, of course, but the signs are unmistakable. They look tougher. They seem related. They look like a team no longer interested in “looking stupid”.

These Grizzlies look like a group rallying behind a rising star whose growth is starting to change the trajectory of their season. As Zach Eddy pushes toward what increasingly feels like an All-Star campaign, Memphis’ identity built around effort, physicality and collective belief begins to rebuild around the 2024 first-round pick.

Memphis continues to build momentum with a clear sense of who they are and who they refuse to be. They are a team that wins with grit and collective will. They are a team that comes together from a deficit because they believe in each other. They’re a team that briefly looked stupid and decided that version of themselves was unacceptable.

With Zach Eddy’s star on the rise and the entire roster embracing a shared vision, the Grizzlies are not only climbing the Western Conference standings, but reclaiming their identity. And they’re making it clear that the days of falling short of their own standards are over.