Memphis Grizzlies center and former Purdue basketball star Zach Edey is facing misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and speeding after an incident on May 1, 2025, in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. The 23-year-old athlete was reportedly caught driving at 101 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone on Indiana State Road 25, leading to a traffic stop by an Indiana State Police trooper.
The encounter unfolded around 7 p.m. local time when the trooper observed a white 2023 Kia Sorento traveling southbound at an excessive speed. Radar confirmed the vehicle’s speed at 101 mph. The Kia passed the trooper’s southbound vehicle at 96 mph and continued through the County Road 800 South intersection before the officer initiated a pursuit. The driver, later identified as Zachry C. Edey, turned eastbound onto Tippecanoe County Road 700 South and stopped.
Edey, who holds a Tennessee driver’s license and resides in Memphis, told the trooper he was "trying to pass a vehicle" but offered no further explanation for his high speed. The entire interaction lasted less than 20 minutes, and Edey was released from the scene without arrest. He was issued a citation and summons to appear in Tippecanoe County Court, with his initial hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on June 23, 2025, before Judge Michael A. Morrissey.
Standing at an imposing 7-foot-4 and weighing approximately 300 pounds, Edey’s presence on the road is as commanding as on the basketball court. His journey to professional basketball stardom began at Purdue University, where he played from 2020 to 2024. During his collegiate career, Edey distinguished himself as the tallest player in Big Ten history and one of the most dominant centers in college basketball. He averaged 18.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game on an impressive 62% shooting rate.
His accolades at Purdue were significant: back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year honors and consensus National Player of the Year awards in both 2023 and 2024. Edey also led the Boilermakers to the NCAA National Championship game in 2024, where they fell to UConn. Following that season, he declared for the NBA Draft, where he was selected ninth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.
In his rookie NBA season (2024-25), Edey continued to impress, earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He averaged 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and one assist per game over 66 appearances. His shooting percentages were solid, with 58% from the field, 34.6% from three-point range, and 70.9% from the free-throw line. The Grizzlies finished the season with a 48-34 record, making the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, although they were eliminated in the opening round.
However, Edey’s promising career has recently faced a setback. According to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Edey suffered a left ankle sprain during an offseason workout and underwent surgery. This injury will sideline him for the start of the upcoming NBA season, which kicks off on October 21, 2025. The timeline for his full recovery remains uncertain, but it is expected he will miss at least part of his second professional season.
The news of Edey’s reckless driving charge emerged just hours after Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders received a similar citation in Ohio for driving 101 mph on a Cleveland-area highway, highlighting a curious coincidence among young professional athletes.
Despite the legal troubles, Edey’s connection to Purdue remains strong. The university’s men’s basketball social media accounts recently shared photos of Edey alongside other players and alumni at Mackey Arena on May 6, underscoring his ongoing ties to his college roots. Additionally, Purdue is set to face Memphis in the first round of the Baha Mar Hoops tournament in November 2025, a matchup that will reunite Edey with his old college program on the professional stage.
As Edey prepares for his court hearing on June 23, the basketball world will be watching closely. His driving incident serves as a reminder that even rising stars face challenges off the court, and how they navigate these moments can shape their public image and career trajectory.
For now, Zach Edey remains a towering figure in basketball—both literally and figuratively—whose talents have earned him national recognition, but whose recent legal issues add a complex chapter to his young professional journey.
