Big men are going to be a huge problem at Final Four as Zach Edey and Donovan Clingan show 7-footers are back

This season's Final Four is proof that centers can carry teams far in the NCAA Tournament

By Dennis Dodd Apr 5, 2024 at 12:55 am ET• 6 min read

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It's easy for Zach Edey now. Or at least easier for a big man who was once too large for Halloween.

"I got banned from trick or treating in fourth grade because people got mad at me because I was too big," Purdue's 7-foot-4 All-American post said Thursday in the run up to the Final Four. "Not banned, but I'd get the little stink eyes. I was like, six foot, going door-to-door."

On a tradition built around the delights of children, fourth-grade Zach looked too much like an adult. You don't have to imagine much past the dirty looks to figure out thoseoptics.

Now at the top of his game, and the world, many would suggest Edey has zipped right past being too big for his age all the way to being superhuman. He has a bit of company this week.