CHICAGO — Some players chose to keep their meetings close to the vest on Tuesday from the NBA Combine, while others were willing to share. 

Perhaps the most notable of the outspoken was two-time national player of the year and former Purdue big man Zach Edey, who got straight to the point. 

“Yeah, Memphis has been interested in me for a little bit,” the 7-foot-4 big man shared on Tuesday morning. “I like Memphis.”

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But there’s clearly a strategy to this. Edey himself even pointed that out. There’s a wall of secrecy at the combine, and there’s also a lot of deflection. 

“There’s a lot of teams (I will meet with),” Edey said. “During the interview process, you talk to a lot of teams. It’s difficult because you may not always know who is really interested in who they are interviewing. I have heard some teams won’t interview guys who they are interested in. I’m trying to get a feel for everything.”

Edey is one of the players who could fill an obvious role for the Grizzlies, who have publicly announced that adding a big man to replace the hole that Steven Adams left is a priority. 

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Here are some nuggets from the big men that spoke on Tuesday morning, along with a few other players including Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard and UConn’s Stephon Castle:

The bigs

Edey is out to prove that he is more than a big man that is planted in the paint at the combine this week. He moved well in the sprint and agility drills, and also shot the ball well from the outside. 

“I think for the most part teams know what I am,” Edey said. “They have a ton of film on me. Obviously, I think I’m a little bit bigger than teams think I am and I can shoot better than teams think I can. I have to show that, but I’ve been in college for four years, so there’s a lot of film on me already.”

If Edey can control the interior the way he did in college, he would be an obvious fit for the Grizzlies. When asked what he thinks he can bring to a team right away, especially a playoff contender, that was immediately what he pointed out. 

“Just dominate the paint like I did in college, that’s not secret. I want to get the rebounds, I want to bang inside and carve out that space. I want to protect the rim. That’s my game. That’s where I try to hang my hat.”

Edey said he has not yet started to work out for teams. He also said he expects to be selected anywhere from 10 to 25. The Grizzlies will be picking ninth, if they opt not to trade the selection. 

Duke’s Kyle Filipowski was a player that opted not to share his meetings, but did say that he believes he can help a team right away. 

Perhaps the most interesting point he made came when asked about playing alongside a dynamic backcourt player, like Memphis’ Ja Morant. 

“I’m not trying to say this to brag,” Filipowksi said. “I’m just saying this with confidence, but I think I will be one of the most important players in this year’s draft for that. I’m able to be flexible and free on offense, and I can play with the ball and without the ball on picks with those types of guards. I think my playing style will complement them and it will give them the ability to open up their shots by playing through me as well.”

Filipowski admitted that he is more comfortable as a power forward than a traditional center but believes he could play both roles at the NBA level. 

 “I think it’s just seeing the way certain teams play, and it’s very important which team you go to because each team plays differently,” Filipowski said. “There could be some teams that play a small ball five — I’m not really small, per say — but I’m not the typical five. 

“Teams do that as well and run their offense five out (on the perimeter) and take advantage of a bigger, slower defense. So, you know, it really does depend on the way teams play and how they want to utilize that, but that is what gives me the confidence to play the five, too.”

UConn’s Donovan Clingan also opted not to share what is on his schedule. He has been one of the draft’s fastest risers after two dominant college seasons that ended with national championships.

It appears unlikely at the moment that he would be available for Memphis in their range, but it is not completely out of the picture. 

“I have interviews planned, about 12 to 15 of them, but I’m not sure exactly,” Clingan said. “I’m really excited to start to get to know the front offices, assistant GMs and coaches.”

He did note that he believes he could work well alongside another big, which is critical considering the role of Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. 

“It’s nice to see all the big guys at 7-foot-1 or 7-foot-2 succeeding and having such a high impact,” Clingan said. 

“I feel like if (another big) is working inside I can step out and shoot the 3. I can space the floor, and it could be very impactful on the defensive end with team defense and ball-screen defense.”

The guards 

Providence guard Devin Carter said he believes he can be a plug-and-play role player from the jump, which would be complementary for a team that is already in the contention window.

“I think I can rebound the ball well and provide space, while also creating shots for myself,” Carter said. “If (star) players are being double-teamed, they can kick it to me, and I can get an open shot. 

“I can make the right reads, and on the defensive end, I think I can lock down whoever I am guarding and give them a little bit of a break on defense. I will take the defensive weight, go get rebounds and get out and go.”

Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter was another player who said he has been in contact with the Grizzlies. He will meet with Memphis at the combine, along with 16 other teams. 

“I think players like Ja Morant, I could take pressure off them by spacing the court out,” Walter said. “They can’t really help off me because I will knock down a shot, but if you stay on me the star guard can go to work.”

Walter’s only college season painfully ended inside FedExForum during the NCAA Tournament. He said he was a fan of the arena. 

“I think I performed very well,” he said of his stop in Memphis. 

Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard is another player who has shot up draft boards. His availability at No. 9 is in question, but he has a skillset that fits what the Grizzlies need from a shooting and defensive standpoint. 

He posted a 42-inch vertical at the combine on Monday, which tied for the highest of the day. 

“They must have messed something up,” he joked. “There’s no way I jumped that high.”

Sheppard played with two other draft prospects at Kentucky, Antonio Reeves and Rob Dillingham. He believes that has prepared him to play alongside a star-studded backcourt as a pro. 

“There were times that Rob and Antonio would get rolling, and you try to figure out how to get them the ball and figure out the spacing,” Sheppard said. “That was actually one of my favorite times this year, when they would get hot, and I would just throw them the ball and go get a bucket.”

Sheppard also said he feels comfortable playing the point guard at the next level or playing off the ball, which is the type of player that should interest Memphis as it looks for combinations off the bench.

UConn’s Stephon Castle made it clear that he is coming into the league looking to be a point guard because that is the position he has played his entire life. 

But he can also be flexible. 

Castle went to the Huskies as a top 10 high school player but accepted a role mostly off the ball. He probably deserves some credit for making that sacrifice.

Castle was also one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball and rebounded well for his position. 

“Memphis, they have a star point guard in Ja, but I can mold into any kind of team,” Castle said. “I feel like I can play with any guys in any way. That was a sacrifice that I made in college, and now we are talking about the NBA and my career. (Flexibility) is something that I take pride in.

“I really want to play (point guard), but that’s just something for me to think about.”

Castle didn’t share the exact teams he will meet with, but did say that he has meetings set up with most of the teams picking in the lottery. 

 The wings 

Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht was one of the most dynamic scorers in college basketball last season. He could be in the Grizzlies’ range at No. 9 and would be an obvious shooting spark. 

“I’m a guy that can go out and produce right away,” Knecht said. “I can shoot the ball pretty good. I would say that is my (pitch to teams), as well as bringing a winning culture.”

Knecht has several meetings set up with lottery teams, similar to Castle. He said he is avoiding looking at mock drafts. 

G League Ignite prospect Ron Holland is another player who could be in play for Memphis. He was once considered the top prospect in the draft. 

He said he has several interviews set up but did not share those teams. His 6-foot-8 frame, versatility and his draft age (18), all make him particularly intriguing. 

“I am a high-level energy guy that can guard one through five and play one through four,” Holland said. “I can do anything my coach needs me to do. That’s the best part of my game. You can throw me at any position and I can do what my coach needs at any given time.”

The variance in mock drafts places him anywhere from inside the top three to the late lottery. He is using those varying opinions to place a chip on his shoulder. 

“I know for a fact that I’m ready to compete with any guy in this draft,” Holland said. “I feel like I’m the best guy in this draft, the most versatile and the best defender. You name it, and I feel like I’m the No. 1 guy. 

“That keeps me humble and keeps me hungry to compete to show that I’m the best guy in this draft class.”