"Give him ROTY already"- Fans hail Zach Edey's record-shattering career-night in loss to Nets

Zach Edey impressed basketball fans on Monday despite the Memphis Grizzlies’ 106-104 road loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The 7-foot-4 rookie finished the game with 25 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and one steal. He hit 11-of-12 shots, including 1-for-1 from deep.

Edey became the first rookie in NBA history with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds while hitting at least 90% of his shots.

Basketball fans promptly reacted to his historic night:

“Just give him the roty already”

Another fan added:

“They said a traditional type center wouldn’t succeed in the modern NBA”

One fan commented:

“Best center rookie in this class”

Another fan said:

“The hood told me that this man couldn’t hang in the league???”

One fan exclaimed:

"92% WTF is happening."

Zach Edey has received a ton of flak for the underwhelming start to his NBA career. The two-time National College Player of the Year debuted in late October with five points and five rebounds before fouling out in just 15 minutes. It was an embarrassing record that the Memphis Grizzlies rookie promptly moved on from.

Against the Nets, he finally put together his best game of the season. It helped that Nic Claxton, Brooklyn’s starting center, isn’t a threat to shoot from deep. Edey dominated the paint on both ends as he didn’t have to chase Claxton in the perimeter.

Zach Edey has also proven to be a willing shooter from behind the arc. He had a 3-pointer in the third quarter that stunned the crowd inside the Barclays Center. After attempting two triples in four years at Purdue, he has doubled that figure in four games with the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Zach Edey faces stiff competition for the Rookie of the Year award

While Zach Edey struggled in his first few games, a handful of rookies have thrived from the get-go. Bub Carrington, Ryan Dunn and Jaylen Wells have been playing good basketball from the start. Alex Sarr is starting to show why he was the No. 2 pick while others are also making an impact.

The NBA is still in its third week, so Edey has enough time to make a case for himself as the best rookie. To win the Rookie of the Year award, he must string together performances similar to what he did against the Nets on Monday.

Some fans are ready to crown Zach Edey as the ROY winner after one great game. Getting the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy will not be that easy, though. He will have to outplay every rookie from the 2024 draft class to earn the honor.