Matt Painter nodded as I requested him the query in an unique dialog with FOX Sports activities.
“How do the nearest 4-5 weeks affect Zach Edey’s legacy?”
He anticipates getting requested about it increasingly — in all probability day-to-day — as this date rolls on.
Edey, who will quickly be the primary males’s school basketball participant to copy as Nationwide Participant of the Pace since Ralph Sampson within the Nineteen Eighties, is having a look to split ill one ultimate barrier this date: the Boilermakers on a Ultimate 4 run to Arizona.
“Ultimately, winning in the NCAA Tournament separates people on the greatness scale. It separates people, because Zach has put himself in that category,” Painter, now in his nineteenth moment on the helm of the Boilermakers, instructed FOX Sports activities. “When you think of stats, and you see David Robinson, Ralph Sampson and Shaquille O’Neal — with rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and more — you look at him and compare him to those guys, and it makes you say, ‘That is really impressive.’ I think the easy way out was just to go into the NBA Draft last year, get drafted in the second round, get a minimum contract and play in the G League. I think the hard and best thing for him to do actually was to come back, because the environment that he was in is where he’s improved.
“No person’s taking to argue that he didn’t make stronger at Purdue. No person’s taking to argue that he’s no longer the most efficient participant within the nation. He’s additionally probably the most stepped forward participant within the nation. So now, the cherry on summit is with the ability to get to a Ultimate 4 and win a countrywide championship. That’s what will get him in that nearest stratosphere, and it will get our program within the nearest stratosphere. It does aid the entirety. It is helping me for my part. It is helping our recruiting, and that’s what you wish to have.”
Forward of Refuse. 3 Purdue’s strike with Wisconsin at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX (watch on FOX and the FOX Sports) in which Edey will play his final game at Mackey Arena on Senior Day, Painter talked about the top player in the country, telling some epic stories and sharing what makes Edey so extraordinary.
The primary future you ever noticed Zach Edey, what had been you considering?
“I noticed him at a exercise, later I noticed him play games [for IMG Academy]. It wasn’t the primary future I had perceivable him. I had perceivable him on movie, and we had been on him and recruiting him. He used to be taking to journey yet another moment at IMG, later he made the verdict [in 2020] that he sought after it to be his endmost moment, and he used to be taking to signal [with us] proper later and there. I appreciated his palms. I appreciated the toes. He seemed excellent within the exercise, however he didn’t glance excellent in pickup video games. He didn’t glance wicked, however he didn’t get rebounds, and so they by no means threw him the basketball. So I went again the nearest day to peer him, and it used to be the similar factor. He seemed excellent within the exercise however no longer as smartly in video games. I thought he can be a excellent participant, however I didn’t know when he can be a excellent participant. Some issues in point of fact needed to occur, however from that time directly to when he were given to our park, he in point of fact stepped forward. He in point of fact installed a batch of future, and he hunkered ill on bettering the basics of the sport.”
What do people not understand about this kid that you get to see day in and day out?Â
“He performs withered, and he’s so aggressive. He’s this kind of excellent athlete in the best way he strikes at his dimension. Such a lot of occasions, guys at his dimension pick out and select once they journey later a rebound or once they play games withered. Zach is going later each and every unmarried rebound. He can go laterally and run the court docket smartly. Greater than the rest, he’s were given a in point of fact excellent aggressive spirit. He’s preventing for positioning always. You need to be in a position for 2 hours of preventing him and wrestling with him. Such a lot of family get fatigued and must foul him later. That in point of fact is helping us.”Â
When did you realize that Zach wasn’t just a good player, but that he could be one of the greatest to ever wear the Purdue uniform?Â
“Earlier than he performed a duel for us, I were given COVID on the finish of September and into October. I used to be out for 2 and a part weeks, and once I got here again, he had made a bulky soar for us past I used to be long past in a shorten quantity of future. I mentioned to my workforce, ‘he’s taking to be a stunning extra to Trevion Williams for us.’ In his freshman season, the primary 5 or 6 video games, I inform family the tale that he would get 10-14 issues, 5 or 6 rebounds, 4 or 5 submits, and we’d journey to the track two times. He simply couldn’t move, and he had by no means been doubled sooner than. And simply his consciousness, you all the time inform bulky guys to chin the ball smartly. But if he chinned it smartly, he used to be elbowing family within the head. He needed to discover ways to reduce his elbows and no longer give protection to the ball as a lot. However he had a in point of fact excellent freshman moment and that summer season, coming into his sophomore season, he ruled our practices.Â
“Trevion Williams was first-team All-Big Ten, and he’s just dominating a top-five player in our league. So he’s absolutely dominating, and now I’m telling my staff, ‘this is a big-time player. He’s an all-conference level player.’ Did I think he was the best player in college basketball? I wouldn’t say that quite yet, but I thought he was the one you had to prepare the most for. But once he got through that season, you’re saying to yourself that he is the real deal, and he is the guy we will build around.Â
What does Zach’s family and circle mean to him and how much of a connection do you feel in his circle?
“His ma and pa don’t seem to be most effective stunning, however they’re easy. Zach isn’t somebody who used to be getting recruited closely. He wasn’t anointed because the nearest coming or stunning one when he used to be 15 years impaired. He didn’t get started enjoying arranged basketball till he used to be 16 years impaired, so that they don’t have the crap {that a} extremely recruited man can finally end up having to the place you’ve that sense of ‘you’re fortunate to have me.’ Instead, he felt if truth be told lucky to be at Purdue. Zach desires to be coached. The number 1 factor is you wish to have to recover and you wish to have to be coached, and you’ve got stunning bodily talents. When you’ve got that, you’re in trade. You are going to create strides. It’s such a very easy fit with him and his people. His people has been so supportive of him, and our lovers had been very supportive of the people. Zach has the power and the modesty items. He’s so selfless in how he performs the sport. He’s a stunning passer.
“That’s what can separate him and get him to the NBA, in my opinion. He rebounds out of his area. His rebounds per minute rate is good. His competitive spirit is good. But if you play him 1-on-1, he can score the ball, but if you want to give him extra defensive attention, he can make the right reads and passes. A lot of guys his size, it’s not their deal. They’re not great in that area, but he’s really improved and become a great passer.”Â
To that time, via each and every account, Zach has helped his NBA Draft keep this season and is getting on first-round radars. What have you ever perceivable from him and what are you telling evaluators?Â
“A lot of times, guys don’t reach out to you too much. The ones you have a long-term relationship with, and they know you’re honest, you can have a real talk with them. Most of them realize you’re biased, so they work around you, which I understand. But some of them are lazy to be honest. The ones who are thorough talk to the right people and they are stereotypical of players. They don’t just say, ‘OK, he’s this. He’s bad at ball-screen defense. He’s bad at changing ends. He’s bad at passing. He doesn’t fit the NBA.’ Some people don’t get off that because they’re not watching. They’re not really doing their job. Like, do your job. If you don’t think he fits because of the way you play, I totally understand that. But don’t tell me he’s bad at ball-screen defense or changing ends, because he’s not. He’s really not. Now, that’s for his size.
“In the event you journey to an NBA duel, it’s rapid on rapid now. I’m no longer announcing it’s taking to be a plus-plus for him at that stage. However, there are family which might be bulky like him that adjust ends which might be fertile avid gamers. He’s simply knocked the entirety ill and he simply assists in keeping getting higher. What family say he can’t do, he works on. Whether or not it’s his publish D or ball display screen D, or his passing, no matter’s happening, he’s this kind of a professional man. You’ll simply communicate via issues with him. You don’t have to take a seat there and be unbelievably challenging. You’ll communicate him via issues and say, ‘those eventualities are taking to occur. After they do, right here’s what you need to do. You’ll’t be at the back of a play games.”
The thing that you’ve said before that stands out to you the most about Zach off the court is his meal intake.
“Yeah, he’s good-looking forged in that section.” (laughter)
What’s that appear to be?
“Like, whilst you get in a position for a duel or simply at halftime, he’s were given one thing in his hand always. He’s consuming a bar or he’s consuming a meal, or he’s consuming one thing. Once we journey to movie consultation, he’s were given one thing in his palms and he’s consuming one thing. It’s simply consistent. So, once we journey at the street, he’s doing DoorDash past we’re completing a meal. He’s a bulky sushi man. You’ll journey right into a ceremonial dinner room at a lodge to break two plates of meals, and he’s heading to the entrance table to grasp his sushi. Nearest, he’ll journey as much as his room and series stuff for next on that evening. Zach’s first-team All-American as a participant and within the consuming section too. We had Isaac Haas and he used to be good-looking notable in that section. However I’ve by no means perceivable any one consume like Zach. He’s taking the cake in that section, disagree pun meant.”
You’ve coached Isaac Haas, among other 7-footers. How much has Zach forced you to change some things in your coaching style, or adapt some things, or maybe officiate practice differently than you normally would?
“Occasionally, he will get on me as a result of I officiate issues in observe and I simply have my references of Fat Ten street video games once they don’t cry fouls when he will get contacted. I’ll inform him, ‘hiya guy, it is a street duel these days. You’re telling me that they don’t pass over issues. That they don’t grasp your jersey or don’t speed you.’ There are days that they are going to cry it and others that they don’t cry one thing. He infrequently presentations emotion on one thing that you simply journey again and supervise movie and he’s no longer proper about it. I struggle to inform him to simply play games the sport, however later you journey again and spot a man karate chop him. Wouldn’t you display emotion if somebody chopped your arm? I’ll say, ‘guy, what’s he speaking about?’ with a no-call. Nearest I’ll have a look at the movie and spot he’s proper. I struggle to mention to the officers, ‘hiya, simply be honest to each groups. Name it each techniques.’ See, there are occasions that he does foul and break out with issues.
“But the reason he gets away with it is that they’re letting other people foul him on the other end. The officials set that precedent to where they’re going down that rabbit hole to where they don’t want to foul out the other team. You get opposing coaches who lose their minds afterward and say, ‘Look at the box score.’ And this and that. I want to say to them, ‘hey, watch the game. Let’s watch all of these clips together. Like, what are you watching?’ It’s not supposed to be even. Where’s the rule saying the fouls are supposed to be even? But we’ve all seen the rules where it’s 7-1 in fouls and then they’ve got to even it up. It’s the dumbest thing a coach can say when they go, ‘hey it’s 6-1 in fouls with us having six.’ Well, I’d tell your guys to quit fouling. That’s what I would say if I was an official. It doesn’t have to be even. How is that supposed to be even? You’re fouling and we’re not.
“Our distant throw disparity is the most efficient, if no longer one of the crucial very best within the nation. However for those who have a look at how a lot we don’t foul around the board. Like, we don’t foul very a lot, and we dedicated the former quantity of fouls endmost moment. So, if our man is getting fouled and we in point of fact don’t do it regularly, there’s a explanation why they cry it distant.”
Coaches with great players all have different ways of motivating them. Is there a story where you decided to pick on him and press him, knowing that he could take it because it would make the whole team better?Â
“Now not in point of fact, disagree. He’ll have a wicked duel each and every now and later. However, it’s on his requirements. You’ll be like, ‘K, come on guy’ when he has a tricky evening. Nearest, you’ll see the stats and spot he had 27 issues and 13 rebounds (laughter). You already know, he made some excess performs for us in opposition to Illinois previous this day (77-71 win on Tuesday). Some excess passes and key blocks. He had 28 and eight within the duel. He didn’t rebound stunning, and he neglected 10 photographs. He by no means misses 10 photographs! So, we get a top-15 win at the street and clinch the Fat Ten familiar season championship, however he neglected 10 photographs. That motivates him. That will get him going. You already know, Illinois lovers, proper once we had been on the brink of do the nationwide anthem for the sport. And, proper because it will get calmness, a fan screams ‘F-U Edey!’ And the park used to be quiet! We’re on the brink of do the nationwide anthem. I’m considering, ‘ahhh, they must no longer have completed that.’ That’s all he wishes is only a minute bit extra. He’s an overly aggressive man. However the ones extremely aggressive guys, for those who give them a minute extra scorching sauce, it will get them over the summit guy. I used to be considering, boy, if there used to be a layout at the duel. Proper once they mentioned that, I believed, ‘that’s utility 4 issues proper there.’ I believed, guy they must no longer have completed that.
“He’s such a competitive guy. I’m always thinking, when is he just not going to show up? If there was one game where his focus wasn’t great, it’s the Ohio State one. But like, it’s one game. That’s it for this season. He’s just such a competitive guy. He’s an unselfish guy. He’s got elite size and a good skill set. The simplicity of what he has to do, he goes and works on things that help him. He works on his passing and his post moves. He watches a lot of film with one of our assistants Brandon Brantley, who’s done a fabulous job with him. But he knows how to navigate in the game because he doesn’t have to do a whole lot outside of his little world. He plays post-up basketball. He sets ball screens and dives, and he’s got to be able to catch those balls and passes, but he’s a joy to coach, obviously.”
There are coaches who’ve mentioned the secret to meaking an NCAA Match run is modest: simply secure making the NCAA Match. For the reason that manner it is going, it’s no longer one six-game match, however in lieu six one-game tournaments. You’re 27-3, and the narrative is that every one that’s left for Purdue to do is only a topic of doing it and hanging up that March Insanity run. Your group has a solution to each and every query. Do you subscribe to the truth that all this is left so that you can do is get on that run of March redemption?
“Yes, without question. Our goal after our catastrophic losses to Fairleigh Dickinson and Saint Peter’s — and I don’t even like talking about it because I don’t want to be disrespectful to the people that beat us because they beat us straight up. And I want them to have their just due. They earned it. But, now you’ve got to face it. I told our guys before the year, ‘listen to the noise because it’s true. We did get beat by them, and that’s on me as a coach. We’ve got to do a better job but don’t act like our process isn’t the right process. Believe in that. But, you can’t turn the basketball over. We have proven that when we don’t turn it over, we’re very successful. When we do turn it over, our value goes down. But everybody does.’ So, to me, that’s the key. But also the key is facing adversity and owning things. You own it, you fix it. We know as a coaching staff, we’re not going anywhere. We understand that. But we’re not going to buy into derelicts out there that are saying things that aren’t true. We understand our process, and we understand what we need to do to win games, but we understood it when we lost too.
“When family say, ‘you’re doing the similar issues.’ Refuse, we’re no longer doing the similar issues. We’re getting the similar end result, and issues aren’t 100 to 0. It’s a contest and there’s someone else in the market. You’ve were given to know, and also you communicate to any baseball man and so they’ll say, ‘I’m taking to play games the chances.’ You have a look at our percentages and file, and that speaks for itself. It comes ill not to turning the ball over, however you don’t simply accomplish what we’ve achieved with no need a stunning gadget and executing it. Tony Dungy says it the entire future: ‘We’ve simply were given to be higher at what we do.’ We’ve rented a unused analytical company to let us know what we must do higher, and if we must be other. They’ve instructed us, ‘What you’re doing as an entire is good-looking excellent.’ However we’re no longer converting for the sake of adjusting. We’ve completed some impish issues, however we haven’t made wholesale adjustments and I believe you notice the effects, as a result of we’ve been good-looking excellent this moment.”
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John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

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