Grizzlies rookie center Zach Edey is already dealing with lower-body injuries in the Summer League.
The 7-foot-4 Edey suffered an ankle injury Thursday against the Pelicans when he went for a block and landed on the shooter’s foot, forcing him to land on the side of his foot.
The Grizzlies center was able to walk off under his own power after being injured in the second quarter but did not return for the second half.
Edey previously dealt with another ankle injury during the Summer League, so it’s possible the Grizzlies shut him down until the regular season.
If this is the last we see of him until October, Edey has made quite the impression across the league.
Edey is now the Rookie of the Year favorite after a strong early performance, showing himself to be a man among boys, given his size and surprising agility.
The No. 9 overall pick tallied a double-double in his first game, tallying 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in 34 minutes against the Jazz.
That performance moved him to a +600 favorite to be the NBA Rookie of the Year.
Edey is now in a dead heat with Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard for Rookie of the Year status, with those odds slightly leading Sheppard’s +700 mark at FanDuel.
Sheppard has looked strong for the Houston Rockets this summer and seems like he will be a top contender for the award.
The Grizzlies struggled last season, with superstar guard Morant serving a suspension due to a gun-related incident and then suffering an injury to shut the door on his season.
Memphis missed the playoffs en route to a 27-55 record and picked in the top 10, allowing them the chance to grab the back-to-back college basketball National Player of the Year.