WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue's Zach Edey has been named as one of 15 players to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.
The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year is given to the nation's top defensive player. A year ago, Edey was one of 10 finalists for the award.
Edey is one of three Big Ten players on the list, joining Penn State's Ace Baldwin and Rutgers' Cliff Omoruyi.
Edey has led a Purdue defense that ranks 15th in the country in defensive efficiency and 56th in field goal percentage defense. The Boilermakers' defensive efficiency is their highest ranking since the 2019-20 season and the sixth-best efficiency ranking of the Matt Painter era.
Edey surpassed 200 career blocks in the win over Wisconsin, making him the third player in NCAA history with 2,000 career points, 1,000 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field, joining Navy's David Robinson and Georgetown's Patrick Ewing on that exclusive list. Edey has blocked at least one shot in 22 of 23 games this year, ranking in the top 15 in blocked shots per game and in the top five in rebounding.
Edey currently ranks third nationally in scoring (23.1 PPG), fourth in rebounds (11.7 RPG), 14th in field goal percentage (.631) and 14th in blocked shots per game (2.3 BPG). Just three players in NCAA history (2002-03 – Chris Kaman, Central Michigan; 1997-98 – Michael Olowokandi, Pacific; 1993-94 – Carlos Rogers, Tennessee State) have ever finished in the top 15 in all four categories.
Edey and the Boilermakers host Indiana on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, in Mackey Arena.
The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year is given to the nation's top defensive player. A year ago, Edey was one of 10 finalists for the award.
Edey is one of three Big Ten players on the list, joining Penn State's Ace Baldwin and Rutgers' Cliff Omoruyi.
Edey has led a Purdue defense that ranks 15th in the country in defensive efficiency and 56th in field goal percentage defense. The Boilermakers' defensive efficiency is their highest ranking since the 2019-20 season and the sixth-best efficiency ranking of the Matt Painter era.
Edey surpassed 200 career blocks in the win over Wisconsin, making him the third player in NCAA history with 2,000 career points, 1,000 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot at least 60.0 percent from the field, joining Navy's David Robinson and Georgetown's Patrick Ewing on that exclusive list. Edey has blocked at least one shot in 22 of 23 games this year, ranking in the top 15 in blocked shots per game and in the top five in rebounding.
Edey currently ranks third nationally in scoring (23.1 PPG), fourth in rebounds (11.7 RPG), 14th in field goal percentage (.631) and 14th in blocked shots per game (2.3 BPG). Just three players in NCAA history (2002-03 – Chris Kaman, Central Michigan; 1997-98 – Michael Olowokandi, Pacific; 1993-94 – Carlos Rogers, Tennessee State) have ever finished in the top 15 in all four categories.
Edey and the Boilermakers host Indiana on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, in Mackey Arena.