Zach Edey passes first test in Memphis Grizzlies summer league game vs Utah Jazz

Zach Edey was thrown in the fire right away. The Memphis Grizzlies rookie's first matchup in the Salt Lake City Summer League on Monday night was against Utah Jazz 7-footer Walker Kessler.

It didn't take long for Edey to show that he can hold his own against one of the best young centers in the NBA. Edey finished his debut with 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in the Grizzlies' 97-95 overtime loss to the Jazz.

Memphis may have lost the game, but Edey likely won the fan base. He was diving on the floor, protecting the rim and setting bruising screens. When someone messed with his teammates, he also didn't mind being an enforcer. Edey received a technical foul in the second quarter after nudging Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh and exchanging words with Keyonte George.

Edey's best moment came just after his worst. Late in the fourth quarter, he missed a wide-open putback dunk that would have tied the game in the final seconds. The missed opportunity looked like it was going to overshadow his solid performance, but then he got a chance to redeem himself.

With Memphis down two, Edey pushed two Jazz players under the basket and finished a putback layup with 0.2 seconds left in regulation.

That was the type of play Memphis has been missing from the center position since Steven Adams was injured in January 2023.

It's still early, but Edey's first impression passed the test. He had four offensive rebounds and shot 7-for-12 from the field. When Adams was healthy, Memphis was one of the NBA's best offensive rebounding teams.

Edey didn't mind doing the dirty work, and that's what the Grizzlies will need to continue to see throughout summer league play.

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Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.