Men's college basketball fantasy draft: Who got Zach Edey?

The 2022-23 men's assemblage hoops play is good underway, preseason No. 1 North Carolina has dropped retired of the rankings and Purdue and UConn have risen dramatically. In different words, things person changed a period and a fractional into the season. So, arsenic programs decorativeness their non-conference schedules and hole for league play, it's clip for different assemblage hoops phantasy draft.

ESPN's Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway and Myron Medcalf revisited their archetypal phantasy teams from the preseason -- 8 players, including 5 starters and 3 reserves, and a manager -- and were fixed the accidental to commencement afresh successful ranking 2022-23's apical players. The draught method (snake) remained the same, but the bid was flipped. The archetypal 2 stipulations -- each GM couldn't draught much than 1 subordinate from a peculiar team, and each squad needed to person a non-Gonzaga mid-major subordinate -- besides remained the same.

Jump to the afloat rosters here.

The archetypal draught recap

To extremity things off, let's look backmost astatine the archetypal Fantasy Draft from October

Any thoughts from the experts arsenic you look astatine your past picks?

Jeff Borzello: I had an unthinkable draft, if we're being honest. All hits, nary misses. While my rivals had immoderate highly questionable selections, each my guys person reached the expectations I acceptable for them erstwhile drafting. As a bonus constituent for myself, erstwhile I chose Colin Castleton, I adjacent wrote that I would astir apt regret not taking Zach Edey. Two months later, Edey is the archetypal wide selection. Just saying, my foresight erstwhile drafting successful October has been beauteous good.

Myron Medcalf: I deliberation my squad looked large passim the preseason. Then, the existent games began. Dereck Lively II conscionable hasn't recovered a bushed aft dealing with injuries earlier this season. And who could person predicted Matt Bradley's struggles? Will Richardson isn't arsenic businesslike arsenic helium was a twelvemonth agone and Caleb Love did not prime up wherever helium near disconnected pursuing past season's singular effort successful the NCAA tournament. We each request a 2nd chance.

John Gasaway: As they accidental successful big-budget movies centered connected stricken abstraction vehicles acold from Earth, let's commencement with what's good. I got successful connected the crushed level of Kris Murray and scooped up Adama Sanogo with a late-round pick. After that, I was inactive capable to snatch Jordan "Jelly" Walker -- who again ranks adjacent the apical nationally for made 3s per game. Wow, I'm good. As for my aboriginal rounds, Trayce Jackson-Davis inactive looks bully connected paper, but present determination whitethorn beryllium adjacent amended options for a precious first-round pick.

Onto the draught 2.0

Round 1, No. 1 prime (Medcalf)
Zach Edey, C, Purdue Boilermakers

play

0:18

Zach Edey with the monolithic artifact astatine the rim

At Big Ten media time successful Minneapolis, Matt Painter tried to person the country that Edey was prepared to enactment much miles connected his 7-foot-4, 295-pound framework aft averaging 19.0 minutes per crippled past season. I wasn't convinced. But that's wherefore Painter is the caput manager of a nationalist rubric contender and I'm conscionable a feline trying to close my erstwhile wrongs successful a phantasy draft. Edey has been incredible. I emotion the analytics astir his show frankincense far: 22.0 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 2.3 BPG successful 31.6 MPG. Per hooplens.com, Purdue has rebounded 40.1% of its missed shots and connected connected 56% of its shots wrong the arc with Edey connected the floor. So yeah, I conscionable picked the champion assemblage hoops subordinate successful the country.

Round 1, No. 2 prime (Gasaway)
Adama Sanogo, C, UConn Huskies

Welcome back, Mr. Sanogo! I picked UConn's prima successful our earlier draft, and I'm blessed to bash truthful again -- lone present arsenic a first-round franchise player. Sanogo's converting a higher percent of his 2-point attempts than Edey, and he's doing truthful portion taking adjacent much of his team's shots during his minutes. The inferior has besides blossomed overnight into an automatic shooter astatine the line, hitting amended than 80% of his escaped throws. Here's your 2023 Big East POY.

Round 1, No. 3 prime (Borzello)
Oscar Tshiebwe, C, Kentucky Wildcats

Tshiebwe was the archetypal wide pick, to me, successful October, and portion helium isn't the runaway prime for National Player of the Year similar helium was then, his numbers aren't that acold disconnected from a play ago. Sixteen points and 13 boards with the 3rd pick? I'll instrumentality it. He besides hasn't slowed down against apical competition, finishing with 22 and 18 against Michigan State, and 20 and 15 against Drew Timme and Gonzaga, and 13 and 14 against Hunter Dickinson and Michigan. He's a large anchor up beforehand for me.

Round 2, No. 4 prime (Borzello)
Azuolas Tubelis, F, Arizona Wildcats

This isn't mostly however I similar to physique my teams, with 2 bigs arsenic the focal point, but Tubelis is having 1 of the champion starts to the play of anyone successful the country. He's averaging 20.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, shooting amended than 60% from the tract and 40% from 3. Tubelis runs the level amended than astir immoderate large antheral successful men's assemblage hoops and, arsenic an added bonus, he's utilized to playing alongside different station subordinate successful Oumar Ballo. That volition beryllium adjuvant adjacent to Tshiebwe.

Round 2, No. 5 prime (Gasaway)
Kyle Filipowski, C, Duke Blue Devils

In 2068 erstwhile Jon Scheyer retires aft having won 1,203 games, he'll azygous retired Filipowksi arsenic the subordinate who started it all. The seven-footer's a regular successful KenPom's top-10 POY standings, which is awesome considering Filipowski hasn't truly deed his stride yet from beyond the arc. At the tender property of 19, he's the bosom and psyche of a Duke rotation that thrives connected getting 2nd chances and past forcing misses. Who knew Scheyer would signifier himself aft Kelvin Sampson? Filipowski is simply a large crushed wherefore it works.

Round 2, No. 6 prime (Medcalf)
Brandon Miller, F, Alabama Crimson Tide

I watched Miller up adjacent astatine the Phil Knight Invitational successful Portland. And I've watched astir of the games he's played since that tournament. I'm convinced helium has the highest ceiling successful America. If an opposing squad is sending assistance for Edey, past Miller (18.5 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 43% from 3) volition person the abstraction to utilize his 6-9 size to marque a important interaction connected the game. He's a projected first-round prime successful the 2023 NBA draught close present due to the fact that he's 1 of the astir hard matchups successful the state due to the fact that of his versatility.

Round 3, No. 7 prime (Medcalf)
Marcus Sasser, G, Houston Cougars

If you springiness maine a squad with Edey's dominance, Miller's prima powerfulness and the champion subordinate for 1 of the champion teams successful America, I deliberation I'll beryllium good. Sasser is making up for mislaid clip aft missing astir of past twelvemonth owed to injury. He's averaging 16.2 PPG and 1.5 SPG, portion besides starring a Houston squad that's ranked 2nd successful adjusted antiaircraft ratio connected KenPom. In isolation situations, opposing players person connected connected conscionable 27.3% of their tract extremity attempts with Sasser guarding them, per Synergy Sports data.

Round 3, No. 8 prime (Gasaway)
Jalen Pickett, G, Penn State Nittany Lions

play

0:23

Jalen Pickett makes a saccharine pass

Pickett is your Big Ten Breakout Fifth-Year Senior of the Year. At a listed tallness of 6-4, he's wearing retired opposing defenses wrong the arc portion controlling the antiaircraft solid similar a miniature Oscar Tshiebwe. Now adhd successful the information that Penn State's constituent helping is doing each of the supra portion posting 1 of the highest assistance rates successful the nation. Pickett is versatility personified and the Nittany Lions volition spell arsenic acold arsenic the onetime Siena prima tin transportation them.

Round 3, No. 9 prime (Borzello)
Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas Jayhawks

I was hoping Brandon Miller would autumn to this spot, and I considered taking him alternatively of Tubelis -- but I'll audible and spell with Wilson, Kansas' breakout star. He's taken a immense measurement guardant since past season, improving from 11.1 points and 7.4 boards to 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists entering Thursday. He tin play the 4 spot if I request to spell smaller, but his 3-point shooting is present astatine a constituent wherever helium tin beryllium utilized arsenic a large helping too.

Round 4, No. 10 prime (Borzello)
Kendric Davis, G, Memphis Tigers

play

0:29

Kendric Davis shows disconnected imaginativeness with bully dime vs. Texas A&M Aggies.

Not a batch of guards retired there! But Davis should beryllium utilized to my civilization and strategy aft besides being drafted by maine successful October -- important for continuity purposes. In the existent world, Davis has been awesome, erstwhile again. He's been the champion subordinate successful the AAC, with remarkably akin numbers to a twelvemonth agone contempt leaving SMU for Memphis. His perimeter shooting has taken a measurement back, but he's a high-level playmaker who conscionable had 57 points and 11 assists successful 2 games against Auburn and Alabama.

Round 4, No. 11 prime (Gasaway)
Jordan "Jelly" Walker, G, UAB Blazers

Just 3 picks successful and my squad already has size, station scoring, rebounding and deft passing to burn. (Wow, I'm good.) Now it's clip for a turn-key perimeter scorer. Walker's drained implicit 200 shots from beyond the arc successful his vocation portion wearing the uniforms of Seton Hall, Tulane and UAB. This play he's hitting amended than 40% of his tries from extracurricular for the Blazers. In fact, Walker's already made 5 oregon much 3s successful a crippled 4 times connected the young season.

Round 4, No. 12 prime (Medcalf)
Jaime Jaquez Jr., G/F, UCLA Bruins

Last year, Jaquez played done ankle issues and bony spurs and inactive managed to mean treble figures. This year, helium is healthy. And that's a occupation for opposing players. In his team's 87-60 triumph implicit Maryland connected Dec. 14, helium finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. He'll bring vigor connected some ends of the floor. And we request that. But Jaquez (17.1 PPG, 5.5. RPG, 1.8 SPG) tin besides instrumentality defenders disconnected the dribble, marque bully passes and bash immoderate helium has to bash connected defence to assistance his squad win. I respect what my colleagues person done frankincense acold with their teams. But I'm present to triumph championships. Edey, Miller, Sasser and Jaquez tin get it done.

Round 5, No. 13 prime (Medcalf)
Souley Boum, G, Xavier Musketeers

We each cognize defender play matters successful assemblage basketball, and it becomes much important aboriginal successful the season. That's wherefore I similar to spot a seasoned astatine constituent guard. Boum's collegiate vocation started astatine San Francisco during the 2017-18 season. Now, he's connected his 3rd squad successful his 5th play of assemblage hoops and helium looks amended than ever. Boum (17.0 PPG, 4.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 51.2% from 3) has softly emerged arsenic 1 of the apical players successful the country. Next to Sasser, helium volition anchor a championship-level backcourt. He's besides 1 of the apical 3-point shooters successful the state and helium volition assistance my squad agelong the floor.

Round 5, No. 14 prime (Gasaway)
Oumar Ballo, C, Arizona Wildcats

play

0:17

Oumar Ballo rocks the rim with flush

Ballo rounds retired my devastating frontcourt. He'll apt beryllium shooting 70-something percent connected his 2s each play long, and he'll bash truthful arsenic a beardown 2nd enactment connected discourtesy alongside the already drafted Tubelis. If the inferior tin enactment connected the floor, my squad is going to beryllium precise pugnacious to beat. As for the 50-something percent shooting astatine the enactment -- well, I'm going to prosecute a shooting coach. Maybe we'll effort underhanded. Hey, our fans volition spot this solid arsenic half-full: Ballo makes a dull portion of the crippled much suspenseful. Anyway, he's good worthy the occasional missed escaped throw.

Round 5, No. 15 prime (Borzello)
Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas Razorbacks

A top-five prime successful this draught backmost successful October, Smith missed the archetypal six games of the play portion managing a genu injury, but has deed the crushed moving since seeing the court. He had 59 points successful his archetypal 3 afloat games back, showing disconnected his shot-making and playmaking ability. He's besides getting to the free-throw enactment astatine a precocious rate. Despite missing a fewer weeks, he's inactive considered arguably the champion NBA imaginable successful assemblage basketball. At 15? Done and done.

Round 6, No. 16 prime (Borzello)
Drew Timme, F, Gonzaga Bulldogs

I wanted to instrumentality Cason Wallace here, providing immoderate toughness and two-way quality to my backcourt. Just earlier I was acceptable to prime him, though, I was reminded of the infamous "no 2 players from the aforesaid team" rule. So Wallace remains available, and I went with Drew Timme, who was, incredibly, inactive disposable astatine No. 16. He was picked 3rd successful October, has improved his numbers successful each azygous class since past play -- and someway dropped 13 spots? Make it marque sense! On my team, Tshiebwe, Tubelis and Timme are an elite station trio.

Round 6, No. 17 prime (Gasaway)
Tyree Appleby, G, Wake Forest Demon Deacons

play

0:26

Tyree Appleby gets the hoop and the harm

After plying his commercialized astatine Cleveland State and Florida, the well-traveled Appleby is having the champion play of his vocation astatine Wake Forest. In a roadworthy crippled astatine Wisconsin, the fifth-year elder rang up 32 points connected 11-of-16 shooting to spell on with 5 assists. My squad volition of people usually person the crippled enactment distant early, but connected those uncommon occasions erstwhile there's crunch time, the shot volition beryllium successful Appleby's hands. He's a trustworthy shot handler who shoots 87% astatine the line.

Round 6, No. 18 prime (Medcalf)
Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky Wildcats

Whenever I ticker Kentucky play, I wonderment what would hap if Wallace had much opportunities to employment his talents. The projected first-round NBA draught prime is playing disconnected axenic endowment and wit close present arsenic helium continues to larn the collegiate game, which is wherefore his value for that squad is growing. By the extremity of the season, however, helium could beryllium 1 of the astir feared guards successful the country. Right now, it feels similar Wallace (10.7 PPG, 2.4 SPG, 52% from 3) is conscionable getting started. But I deliberation he's the apical playmaker connected my roster. You request a steal? He'll get it. Big 3-pointer? He's got it. Anything else? Wallace volition fig it out.

Round 7, No. 19 prime (Medcalf)
Reece Beekman, G, Virginia Cavaliers

I request immoderate grit. And that's each Beekman knows. The third-year helping from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an irreplaceable constituent of Tony Bennett's squad. He's efficient. He's made 47% of his 3s and 86% of his escaped throws. He's besides unselfish (4.6 APG). I deliberation you could adhd Beekman to immoderate squad and he'd marque an contiguous impact. I deliberation Beekman is simply a star. He's besides connected his mode to making immoderate NBA wealth if this dominance continues.

Round 7, No. 20 prime (Gasaway)
Antoine Davis, G, Detroit Mercy Titans

You tin ne'er person excessively overmuch 3-point shooting, and Davis made 10 of those (10!) earlier this period astatine Charlotte. Also, it volition beryllium chill to person idiosyncratic connected my squad who tin accidental they scored much vocation points than Oscar Robertson. Yes, yes, Davis is successful his 5th play and Robertson played three. Still, it's a nifty dependable bite.

Round 7, No. 21 prime (Borzello)
Max Abmas, G, Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

I knew I needed to instrumentality 1 mid-major subordinate -- and Abmas was my feline backmost successful October, truthful we're moving it backmost with the 2021 NCAA tourney star. I thought astir going with Pepperdine's Maxwell Lewis, a 6-7 helping who is connected NBA radars and putting up immense numbers arsenic a sophomore. But I needed different ball-handling defender who tin make disconnected the bounce and marque shots from the perimeter, and Abmas is susceptible of getting blistery successful a hurry.

Round 8, No. 22 prime (Borzello)
Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova Wildcats

play

0:33

Cam Whitmore with the bargain and slam for Villanova

I had targeted Gradey Dick successful this spot, to get maine different helping with size who could truly sprout from 3. Alas, I forgot astir the two-players-from-one-team regularisation again. I besides considered Iowa breakout prima Kris Murray and UConn's Jordan Hawkins, 1 of the elite shooters successful assemblage basketball. But I conscionable felt Whitmore, different holdover from my October draft, brought a small much versatility and two-way ability. After missing 7 games with a thumb injury, Whitmore astir single-handedly turned astir Villanova's fortunes. Along with Smith, he'll springiness maine different feline successful the NBA draft's greenish country travel June.

Round 8, No. 23 prime (Gasaway)
Gradey Dick, G, Kansas Jayhawks

Did idiosyncratic who's gathering an undeniably superior roster accidental thing astir ne'er having excessively overmuch 3-point shooting? Dick has begun his assemblage vocation arsenic a can't-miss enactment from beyond the arc. Even if his perimeter shooting cools disconnected a bit, which it could, you're inactive looking astatine a versatile 6-8 wing. He's besides hitting his 2s portion carrying a important load connected discourtesy astatine property 19 for the defending nationalist champion.

Round 8, No. 24 prime (Medcalf)
Drew Pember, F, UNC Asheville Bulldogs

Yes, he's my mid-major guy, but he's truthful overmuch much than that. Pember is simply a 6-10 prima who has connected connected 42% of his 3s this season. Overall, he's averaging 20.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 2.7 SPG. Pember is simply a force. And he'll travel disconnected my seat acceptable to bash immoderate damage. You mightiness not cognize him now. But he's the existent deal.

Original picks who went undrafted this time: Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana Hoosiers),Tyger Campbell (UCLA Bruins), Armando Bacot;(North Carolina Tar Heels), Hunter Dickinson (Michigan Wolverines), Hunter Maldonado (Wyoming Cowboys), Rasir Bolton (Gonzaga Bulldogs), Caleb Love (North Carolina Tar Heels), Kris Murray (Iowa Hawkeyes), Dereck Lively II (Duke Blue Devils), Matt Bradley (San Diego State Aztecs), Keyonte George (Baylor Bears), Will Richardson (Oregon Ducks)

Who's coaching these teams?

Medcalf: Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Wildcats

Lloyd mislaid 3 players successful the archetypal 33 picks of past summer's NBA draft. That unsocial should pb to a regression. That's conscionable the mode it goes. Usually. Lloyd, however, conscionable deed reset and kept going. His accomplishment with Arizona this play is stunning. The Wildcats are playing astatine a top-five tempo portion besides earning the highest effectual tract extremity percent (61.6) successful America. When you play that fast, things thin to unravel. When you suffer elite players, you thin to instrumentality a measurement back. Lloyd doesn't attraction astir immoderate of that.

Gasaway: Kelvin Sampson, Houston Cougars

Sampson's not lone my caput coach, he's my prime arsenic manager of the past decade. When helium arrived astatine Houston successful 2014, the Cougars had made 1 NCAA tourney quality successful the erstwhile 22 years. Now you're looking astatine a programme that was already ranked No. 1 successful the federation this play and volition articulation the Big 12 for 2023-24. Sampson has worked miracles. He tin manager my squad immoderate time of the week.

Borzello: Rick Pitino, Iona Gaels

I really truly liked some of my rivals' picks. Lloyd would person acceptable my roster truly well, fixed his acquisition coaching two-big lineups, and Sampson is arguably the champion manager successful assemblage basketball. But, similar I said successful October erstwhile I tabbed Pitino to beryllium my coach, I don't deliberation there's a amended manager for a one-off crippled than Pitino. My roster isn't rather arsenic balanced arsenic I would've liked, but it's got astatine slightest six guys who tin marque 3s and tally the floor, truthful Pitino volition fig retired however to marque it work.

Final thoughts

Borzello: The sheer fig of talented large men successful assemblage hoops this play is eye-opening, and determination are simply a constricted fig of roster spots successful this draft. Guys similar Edey, Tubelis and Ballo replaced Jackson-Davis, Bacot and Dickinson this clip around. The astonishing 1 to maine is Kris Murray. He was selected 20th successful October, aft averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds past season. Two months later, he's had a bigger breakout than immoderate of america could person imagined, is putting up 19.4 points and 10.1 rebounds -- and went undrafted.

Medcalf: Yeah, there's immoderate existent endowment connected that list. And I don't deliberation our 2nd draught is simply a sound against those guys. We've conscionable had clip to ticker existent games, and they person answered immoderate questions we mightiness person had earlier the play but couldn't answer. (See: Zach Edey playing much minutes successful 2022-23). In immoderate cases, it's conscionable astonishing that those players haven't met the hype. For the young guys, it's understandable. But Love, Bolton and Bradley are each veterans who looked similar they would person large seasons. That hasn't happened. But apologies to the Murray family. Kris should beryllium connected 1 of our teams.

Gasaway: Quite a list! In immoderate instances possibly we've been a spot harsh with this 2nd draft. Jackson-Davis and Dickinson person performed to expectations. Love's 3s aren't falling but his 2s definite are. Murray has missed clip owed to injury. Lively is 18 and foul-prone. George appears to beryllium coming on nicely. Richardson was fantabulous against Michigan State. To each the 1.0 draftees who were passed implicit this 2nd time, I accidental support trying! We're watching closely, remainder assured.