Zach Edey Says Legs, Conditioning Feel 'A Lot Better' After Grizzlies Beat Bulls

Zach Edey played 16 minutes Friday night at the United Center, six more than he logged in his preseason debut two nights earlier.

The Memphis Grizzlies held off the Chicago Bulls, 104-100. Edey went 3-of-3 from the field and 4-of-6 at the free-throw line for 10 points, and he added five rebounds, two steals, and one block. He had three turnovers and no assists.

Before the game, Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said Edey would play more than he did against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 7, according to Grizzlies On SI.

Edey had two points and four rebounds in 10 minutes in that 122-118 loss at FedExForum.

Playing with this group has been fun for Edey. Memphis shares the ball, and everybody gets touches.

"My legs feel a lot better, my [conditioning feels] a lot better than the last game," Edey said in postgame video from Grind City Media. "Keep working towards that."

Edey last played a regular-season game on Dec. 7, 2025, against the Portland Trail Blazers.

A stress reaction in his left ankle kept him out from there, and the Grizzlies announced March 1 that he would have a second surgery on the ankle to address ongoing discomfort and talar bone stress.

The first surgery came in June 2025. Edey had sprained the ankle again during offseason training, and the procedure was done to repair and restabilize it.

Edey, 24, appeared in 11 games last season. Over that stretch, the 7-foot-3 center averaged 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds and shot 63.3% from the field.

Memphis went 25-57.

Iisalo said after Friday's game that Edey looked more like himself and that his teammates were recognizing where he has advantages on the floor.

Memphis led 60-50 at halftime.

Everybody on this roster plays hard, by Edey's account.

"It's been great. It was a long summer," Edey explained. "I feel really good with my body right now where I'm at. About getting my wind back, my conditioning back. But just moving around, like jumping and cutting, I feel great."

The Grizzlies took Edey with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of Purdue, where he was a two-time AP National Player of the Year.

As a rookie, he played in 66 games, made 55 starts, and averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds. He was named to the All-Rookie First Team.

He also missed 12 games early in that rookie season with a sprained left ankle.

Memphis picked up the rookie-scale option on Edey's contract for this season.

Edey did not play in the preseason opener Oct. 5 in Atlanta. He was cleared to make his debut against Orlando two nights later.

The Grizzlies have one preseason game left, at home Oct. 16 against the Charlotte Hornets.

They open the regular season Oct. 21 against the Utah Jazz at FedExForum at 7 p.m. CT.