Who is No. 15 on Purdue? Reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey

Watch a Purdue basketball game and you will notice a 7-foot-4 behemoth standing out on the court.

But who is that player?

Those who have watched Purdue throughout the season know it is Zach Edey. But, for those who have just started to watch the Boilermakers in March Madness — perhaps as their team no longer is alive or didn't make the NCAA Tournament this season — it is the reigning national player of the year Zach Edey, who is once again one of the top players in college basketball this season.

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Edey, who is the tallest player on the Boilermakers and in the Big Ten, is a unique and once-in-a-generation type of player as his size and frame have helped him become a dominating presence inside the paint and a headache for opponents to scout for and defend. Sometimes, metaphorically, it takes throwing the entire kitchen sink to attempt Edey as he has a considerable height advantage on the court night in and night out.

And so, as the Final Four approaches — Purdue's first since 1980 — and more people continue to search and find out who No. 15 on Purdue is on the court, here's what you need to know about Edey from his height down to his stats and more:

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Who is No. 15 on Purdue?

Zach Edey is No. 15 on the Purdue Boilermakers.

Over the course of the last two seasons, Edey has not only taken off for the Boilermakers but also has become one of the top players in the nation at the same time. He won the Naismith Player of the Year award last season and is the presumed favorite to win it again this season. The Naismith Award will be announced on Sunday, April 7 in Glendale, Arizona.

Edey — who is known for his ability to drive to the basket and dominant inside the paint to score — hit his first career 3-pointer this season in the Boilermakers' win over Indiana. It was just the first 3-point attempt Edey had taken in his career at Purdue, which goes to show how rare it was for him to make it.

He is the all-time leading scorer in Purdue program, a feat he surpassed Rick Mount for back on March 16 during the Big Ten Tournament against Wisconsin.

How tall is Zach Edey?

The Purdue forward is listed at 7-foot-4 according to the Boilermaker's roster.

Naturally at that height, Edey is the tallest player on Purdue's roster by two inches with the closest being redshirt freshman center Will Berg. He is the tallest player in the NCAA Tournament behind Berg and UConn forward Donovan Clingan.

On the national stage outside Purdue and the Big Ten — as he is the tallest player in the conference — Edey is the third tallest player in the country. Ole Miss' Jamarion Sharp and Missouri's Conor Vanover own that record as both are 7-foot-5.

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Where is Zach Edey from?

Edey hails from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

He represented Canada at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, being part of the nation’s first team to be honored at the World Cup with a medal when they defeated Team USA to win bronze. Earlier this season, Purdue took on Alabama in a non-conference game in Toronto — one that the Boilermakers won — which served as a homecoming of sorts for Edey in front of his hometown and country.

Zach Edey stats

Edey has been one of college basketball's best players the last two years, as displayed by his national player of the year award last season and his presumed repeat one this year. The Purdue big man is averaging a career-high in points and rebounds per game this season at 25.0 and 12.2 respectively.

Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Edey's stats at Purdue:

• Career: 2,459 total points, 1,299 total rebounds, 228 total blocks, 18.1 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game and 62.1% shooting from the field

• 2023-24: 926 total points, 452 total rebounds, 80 total blocks, 25.0 points per game, 12.2 rebounds per game and 62.4% shooting from the field

• 2022-23: 757 total points, 438 total rebounds, 72 total blocks, 22.3 points per game, 12.9 rebounds per game and 60.7% shooting from the field

• 2021-22: 533 total points, 285 total rebounds, 64 total blocks, 14.4 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 64.8% shooting from the field

• 2020-21: 243 total points, 124 total rebounds, 30 blocks, 8.7 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game and 59.7% shooting from the field

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Zach Edey NBA Mock Draft

Edey is projected as a first round pick in this summer's NBA draft. The Boilermaker forward is the No. 2 ranked prospect in the Final Four and the No. 13 overall ranked prospect in this year's draft class by ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo.

Here's a look at where some NBA draft analysts have Edey going in their mock drafts:

ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (as of April 2): No. 13 to the Portland Trail Blazers

Bleacher Reports' Jonathan Wasserman (as of April 3): No. 25 to the Milwaukee Bucks

USA Today Sports' Jeff Zilgritt and Scooby Axson (as of March 20): No. 26 to the Washington Wizards

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who is No. 15 on Purdue? What to know on Boilermaker big man Zach Edey