It’s that time of year where everybody in the sports media seems to turn into a college basketball expert. But while most express enthusiasm while doing so, the same can’t be said of Dan Le Batard.
At least not when it comes to Purdue and the Boilermakers’ star center, Zach Edey. During Monday’s episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, the Meadowlark Media co-founder took issue with the 7-foot-4 center’s playing style, which largely consists up him taking up space in the paint.
“Look, Edey, you made my life worse. You and Wisconsin made my life worse. All of you, just getting in the way of everybody. Just playing basketball by getting in the way,” Le Batard said. “Zach Edey just plants himself like a tree. I haven’t seen a body like that since Yao Ming’s. And his ankles are bigger than anyone’s thighs. And we’re distorting the sport. Have you seen [Victor] Wembanyama? Like he just stands over these 6-10 people who are bigger than anyone you’ve ever seen and just places the ball over them in the basket.”
Jon “Stugotz” Weiner interrupted, asking Le Batard to clarify his previous stance that if Edey had played in the 1980s, he would have been drafted ahead of Michael Jordan.
“Are you saying Zach Edey is going to be better than Michael Jordan?” Weiner asked.
“No!” Le Batard quickly replied emphatically. “He’s going to be terrible. He can’t move… It’s so unaesthetically pleasing. Zach Edey is a plague, I’m sorry. Purdue, you’re a plague.”
https://twitter.com/lebatardshow/status/1769761462585610327?s=46&t=nn2bdGzTvmfZuYqsYn7zrQ
While Le Batard’s take was seemingly exaggerated, he seems to genuinely not enjoy watching the reigning National Player of the Year play. And considering that Edey is one of the few stars in the men’s game this season, perhaps it’s not surprising that so many sports fans now find themselves gravitating toward the star-studded women’s game.
Le Batard’s take is sure to upset Boilermakers fans — although, his opinion regarding Edey being selected ahead of Jordan if this were 1984 is objectively funny. Perhaps the biggest upset in all of this is that he didn’t take his stand against college basketball’s top star wearing the costume of a cartoonish character.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.