Ja Morant playfully welcomed new teammate Zach Edey to the Grizzlies.
Shortly after the Grizzlies selected the Purdue product with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday, the star Memphis guard shared his reaction in the form of a movie clip from “Rush Hour 3,” when Chris Tucker’s character meets the Kung-Fu Giant.
In the clip, which was shared on Morant’s Instagram Story, Tucker exclaims, “Whoa!” upon encountering the 7-foot-9 Sun Mingming, a former basketball player.
Edey towers at 7-foot-4 while Morant stands at 6-foot-2.
Although the Edey selection was a surprise to some — and even panned by others — Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman lauded the team’s new addition and his physicality.
“We now have — from a size standpoint, from a physicality standpoint — that’s something that other teams are going to have to grapple with. We want to have looks that we can throw out there that give us the advantage. Let them figure out how to deal with us,” Kleiman said after Wednesday’s first round.
The 22-year-old adds considerable size to the Grizzlies’ roster, forming a strong frontcourt alongside 6-foot-10 power forward Jared Jackson Jr.
Despite concerns regarding Edey’s defense and agility, his ability to dominate the paint makes him a key addition to the team.
He averaged 25. 2 points and 12.2 rebounds in his senior season en route to a national championship appearance.
The Boilermakers fell to the UConn Huskies in the national title game, 75-60.
For Edey, joining the Grizzlies is “a dream come true.”
“Memphis has such a great core, and I am really excited to get down there and work,” he said in a statement issued by Purdue.
Morant, the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, was limited to nine games this season when he returned from a suspension after flashing a firearm in an Instagram Live. He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in January.
The Grizzlies finished the season at 27-55.
