It's safe to say new Grizzlies draft pick Zach Edey is ready to play on the same team with star guard Ja Morant.

"It's exciting, being able to play with Ja," Edey said Friday. "I think he's the best guard in the league. Being able to have that pressure offensively, do the things that he does, it'll just make my life so much easier."

The Grizzlies introduced Edey alongside second-round picks Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer at Friday's press conference, which also included coach Taylor Jenkins and general manager Zach Kleiman. It was Edey's first chance to speak with media in Memphis since he was drafted No. 9 overall in Wednesday's first round.

He fills a clear need for the Grizzlies at the center position and could slot in next to Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt. Edey will also be an exciting pick-and-roll partner with Morant, who expressed his excitement at playing with Edey with a social media post on Wednesday.

Referencing "Rush Hour 3," Morant shared a scene where detective James Carter, played by Chris Tucker, looks up and reacts to the massive height of a kid in a karate class after opening a door.

"Yeah, I saw his post for sure," Edey said. "It was funny. Good movie, too."

Their on-court fit will be a major storyline throughout the offseason, especially as the Grizzlies gear up for a season where they'll expect to compete at the top of the Western Conference. Morant played only nine games last season as he dealt with a 25-game suspension and then a season-ending shoulder injury. But he's expected to be healthy before the 2024-2025 season begins.

Edey, a Toronto native who was named to the preliminary Olympic roster for Team Canada, said Friday he planned to discuss his summer plans with Grizzlies officials at a dinner on Friday night.

"He has so many traits as a player and a person that we fell in love with," Jenkins said. "There's going to be things that we're going to lean on that he was so successful with at the collegiate level, and we're going to constantly challenge him to continue to adapt to the NBA game. He's wired that way."

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Zach Edey: Grizzlies draft pick on Ja Morant, Olympics