Because he opened the season on the injured list, Zach Edey didn’t get much love in one of the two NBA Awards betting markets where he can potentially play a large role. That could work to the advantage of anyone willing to bet on his continued rise.

DraftKings’ updated Most Improved odds list Edey in the Top 20 at +8000 (80-to-1), which will undoubtedly be a bargain if he continues producing at the level he’s currently reached after returning to action on Nov. 15.

Edey, who should also factor in as a potential Defensive Player of the year, missed the first 13 games of a 4-9 start and left a loss to Denver in the first quarter after an inadvertent blow to head from Nikola Jokic. Because his team already has more wins with him in the lineup than without him, Edey’s impact for the Grizzlies’ has overcome even Ja Morant’s trade drama and rookie Cedric Coward’s strong start as the early story of the season in Memphis. 

Short sample size or not, Edey thriving at elite level

Entering Tuesday’s visit to San Antonio, Edey is averaging 15.3 points and 12.6 rebounds in games where he’s played at least half the game. Since returning from the head injury that was termed a migraine, he’s averaged 19.3 points, 17 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in leading Memphis to its first three-game win streak under new head coach Tuomas Iisalo.

Although Iisalo preaches ball movement and a deep rotation, wanting to play as fast as possible while wearing opponents down, the first Finnish head coach in NBA history has been keen on developing Edey. The 7-foot-4 center is Memphis’ top rebounder, screener and rim protector even on a roster that includes former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., so he’s averaged roughly 32 minutes per game while serving as the focal point at both ends. The giant second-year center told Grind City Media his effort in Sacramento reminded him of his college dominance.

Edey on career night performance “feeling like being back at Purdue”

🎥: @MyMikeCheck pic.twitter.com/PUX4iICePi

— Grind City Media (@grindcitymedia) December 1, 2025

Although Morant’s future remains to be seen and Memphis is unlikely to do much more than compete for a Western Conference play-in spot, Edey’s monster run has been eye-opening enough that his current place in the NBA Most Improved market seems undervalued.

Duren ascends to favorite ahead of Avdija, Giddey

The current frontrunner, per DraftKings, is also center. Detroit Pistons standout Jalen Duren is averaging a double-double (19.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg) while shooting 66 percent for the team with the Eastern Conference’s top record, so his number (+240) is deserved, but the gap between him and Edey is far too vast. 

Portland’s Deni Avdija (+270) is currently second, while Josh Giddey (+600), putting up All-Star numbers in Chicago, offers up great value as well. The market is robust given the presence of breakthrough guys like Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins (+1100) and Utah’s Keyonte George in addition to L.A. Lakers standout Austin Reaves (+1600). 

Beyond those guys, there shouldn’t be another name ahead of Edey outside of the fact he’s still missed more games than he’s played. Edey is listed behind a couple of Wizards, Keyonte George (+7000) and Alex Sarr (+7500), who have improved but don’t figure to make much headway on one of the NBA’s worst teams. It’s also impossible to ignore the impact Edey has had on the defensive end since returning to action.

The biggest drawback to betting Edey to land some individual hardware is that he can only miss five more games and still reach the 65-game threshold required to qualify for honors. He didn’t miss time after the knock against the Nuggets and faces no current restrictions on back-to-backs, so if he can stay healthy, he looks like a great longshot worth backing at 80 times your investment.