Grizzlies rookie center Zach Eddy has already struggled with a lower-body injury during summer league.
The 7-foot-4 Eddie injured his ankle during Thursday’s game against the Pelicans when he landed on a shooter’s foot while attempting a block, forcing the shooter to land on the side of his foot.
The Grizzlies center was able to leave on his own after suffering the injury in the second quarter but did not return in the second half.
Eddie previously re-injured his ankle during summer league, so it’s possible the Grizzlies will rest him until the regular season.
If this is the last we see of him until October, Eddie will have made quite an impression on the league as a whole.
With his size and incredible agility, Eddie has proven himself to be a man among the boys, and his strong early performances have made him the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.
The ninth overall pick recorded a double-double in his first game against the Jazz, recording 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in 34 minutes.
This performance earned him +600 odds as the favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year.
Eddie is currently competing with Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard for the Rookie of the Year award, with his odds slightly ahead of Sheppard’s +700 on FanDuel.
Shepard has been performing well for the Houston Rockets this summer and looks to be the leading candidate for the award.
The Grizzlies struggled last season, losing superstar guard Morant to a season-ending injury after being suspended for a gun-related incident.
Memphis finished 27-55 and missed the playoffs, finishing outside the top 10 and giving him a chance to win college basketball’s Player of the Year award for the second straight year.
