WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue's junior center Zach Edey has been named one of 25 players selected to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list, announced today by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2023 John R. Wooden Award, the sport's most-prestigious honor, will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
Edey, who hails from Toronto, Ontario, is a considered the front-runner for the award after an outstanding start to his junior campaign. Edey is averaging 21.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.1 assists per game while shooting over 63 percent from the field and almost 75 percent from the free throw line. He ranks in the top 16 nationally in double-doubles (2nd, 11), rebounds per game (2nd, 13.4), points per game (9th, 21.7) and field goal percentage (16th, .632), while sitting inside the top 25 in blocked shots (24th, 2.2). At his current pace, he would become the only player in the NCAA online database (since 2009) to rank in the top 25 in all four categories.
He has scored in double-figures in 30 straight games, the nation's-longest streak, while posting double-doubles in six straight games. He owns a nation's-best seven games of 20 points and 10 rebounds and his 31-point, 22-rebound performance against Minnesota was Purdue's first game of those marks in over 50 years.
At his current pace, based on a 35-game season, he would become the first player nationally in the last 30 years to have 750 points, 450 rebounds and 75 blocked shots in the same season. In fact, the only players to have at least 700 points, 400 rebounds and 50 blocked shots are Arizona's Deandre Ayton (2017-18; 704-405-66), Kansas State's Michael Beasley (2007-08; 866-408-54), Utah's Andrew Bogut (2004-05; 715-427-65) and Kansas' Drew Gooden (2001-02; 734-423-53). Edey is on pace for 759 points, 468 rebounds and 75 blocked shots.
He has already been named Big Ten Player of the Week three times, all coming in consecutive weeks -- the most-consecutive accolades for a Big Ten player since the 2018-19 season, and was the NCAA.com National Player of the Week after leading Purdue to a Phil Knight Legacy title which included wins over West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke.
For his career, he has scored 1,059 points with 583 rebounds and 104 blocked shots, needing 17 rebounds to become the fifth player in school history to reach 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 100 blocks. Edey will likely do so in the second-fewest amount of games in Purdue history, behind 1980 All-American and the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, Joe Barry Carroll.
Edey and his teammates face two big games on the road this week, traveling to Ohio State on Thursday before facing Penn State in The Palestra in Philadelphia on Sunday.
The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the "Elite Eight" round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2023 John R. Wooden Award, the sport's most-prestigious honor, will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
Edey, who hails from Toronto, Ontario, is a considered the front-runner for the award after an outstanding start to his junior campaign. Edey is averaging 21.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.1 assists per game while shooting over 63 percent from the field and almost 75 percent from the free throw line. He ranks in the top 16 nationally in double-doubles (2nd, 11), rebounds per game (2nd, 13.4), points per game (9th, 21.7) and field goal percentage (16th, .632), while sitting inside the top 25 in blocked shots (24th, 2.2). At his current pace, he would become the only player in the NCAA online database (since 2009) to rank in the top 25 in all four categories.
He has scored in double-figures in 30 straight games, the nation's-longest streak, while posting double-doubles in six straight games. He owns a nation's-best seven games of 20 points and 10 rebounds and his 31-point, 22-rebound performance against Minnesota was Purdue's first game of those marks in over 50 years.
At his current pace, based on a 35-game season, he would become the first player nationally in the last 30 years to have 750 points, 450 rebounds and 75 blocked shots in the same season. In fact, the only players to have at least 700 points, 400 rebounds and 50 blocked shots are Arizona's Deandre Ayton (2017-18; 704-405-66), Kansas State's Michael Beasley (2007-08; 866-408-54), Utah's Andrew Bogut (2004-05; 715-427-65) and Kansas' Drew Gooden (2001-02; 734-423-53). Edey is on pace for 759 points, 468 rebounds and 75 blocked shots.
He has already been named Big Ten Player of the Week three times, all coming in consecutive weeks -- the most-consecutive accolades for a Big Ten player since the 2018-19 season, and was the NCAA.com National Player of the Week after leading Purdue to a Phil Knight Legacy title which included wins over West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke.
For his career, he has scored 1,059 points with 583 rebounds and 104 blocked shots, needing 17 rebounds to become the fifth player in school history to reach 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 100 blocks. Edey will likely do so in the second-fewest amount of games in Purdue history, behind 1980 All-American and the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, Joe Barry Carroll.
Edey and his teammates face two big games on the road this week, traveling to Ohio State on Thursday before facing Penn State in The Palestra in Philadelphia on Sunday.