After a stellar college career at Purdue, Zach Edey got picked ninth in last Thursday’s NBA Draft and announced his decision to pull out of the Canadian Olympic team on Sunday. "I have a duty now to properly prepare for all that is coming my way with being drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies," Edey said in a statement. "The work I put in this summer on my body and my game is critical for me to be the best version of myself."

And just like that, Fernandez is down two potentially crucial pieces in the quest to contend for the top spot in the podium against big-time rivals like Spain, current world-champion Germany, the home country of France, Serbia or the mightiest of them all: neighbouring USA.

Edey, who made a splash playing ball at Purdue university, is somewhat of a vintage commodity for today’s NBA, still more focused on small-ball play despite a recent big man resurgence of sorts. His game is powerful, rim-driven and no-nonsense with his back to the basket, qualities that have earned him The Associated Press' Men's College Basketball Player of the Year award in back-to-back seasons for the first time in four decades. With camp opening up this week in Toronto and despite fierce competition, he was in the mix to land a spot on the final Olympic roster.

Memphis, who did not make the NBA Playoffs last year after uneven posteason runs the previous two campaigns, is an intriguing team with superstar guard Ja Morant, an on-court sensation and off-court headache, at the helm next to competitive defenders like Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. The 7-foot-4 Edey is to anchor the middle of the paint for years to come for the Grizzlies and looking to establish himself early at the professional level, hence the Olympic checkout just 25 days before the Paris Games are scheduled to get underway.

"They played their cards well. I had no idea they were interested. But they've been on me since I was a sophomore," Edey said after being drafted by the Griz’. "They were always a team that was really interested in me, had a lot of belief in me. They were really the only team that believed in me, would've given me a deal my sophomore year. So, that's always kind of stuck with me, stayed with me. I was actually disappointed this year that I hadn't heard from them. And then the Draft comes up and I'm getting picked, so they caught me off guard. Couldn't be happier."

The center, who currently stands as the NBA’s third tallest player, explained he has been training nonstop since last summer, hoping for as smooth a transition as possible to the pro game and called the Paris 2024 negative “a difficult decision”, while clarifying that he hopes to make Canada’s roster in the future. “Thank you to Canada Basketball and all the fans for your support and understanding. Representing Canada in the Olympics remains a lifelong dream of mine, but for now, I look forward to being the team's biggest fan from this side of the Atlantic,” his statement concluded.

National team officials, despite their disappointment, did not close the door on such a possibility and general manager Rowan Barrett assured that they look forward to having him at future training camps. "While we were optimistic about having Zach join us in training camp, we understand and support him in this difficult decision," Barrett said in a statement.

Edey finished his senior year at Purdue averaging 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.Despite his absence and that of Wiggins, Canada will still boast quite an intimidating team at the Olympics, led by guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray, along with other notable NBA players like Kelly Olynyk, Lu Dort, Dillon Brooks or  RJ Barrett.