WEST LAFAYETTE — Despite being down 16 points to top-ranked Michigan at halftime, Purdue basketball fans had something to cheer about ahead of the second half.
Memphis Grizzlies center and the Boilermakers' all-time leading scorer Zach Edey returned to his alma mater during NBA All-Star weekend.
Edey was welcomed to cheers when he arrived to Tuesday's game early in the first half, but his return to the court after the first half was a more wholesome moment.
Returning to his seat for the second half alongside Edey, who scored 2,516 points and was a two-time National Player of the Year at Purdue from 2020-24, was assisting Gene Keady to his seat.
Zach Edey escorting Gene Keady back to his seat from the Wooden Club at halftime is the most wholesome thing you will see today pic.twitter.com/r3pkGacHKA
— Paul Branham (@BoilerPaulie) February 18, 2026
Keady, 89, Purdue's all-time winningest coach with 512 victories over 25 seasons, is a frequent attendee at Boilermaker home games. In 2024, when Edey's 40 points against Tennessee secured Purdue a Final Four berth, Edey cut down a piece of the net in Detroit's Little Caesars Arena and gifted it to Keady.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Zach Edey returns to Purdue basketball, helps Gene Keady to his seat