Zach Edey ended his college career without a national title after his team, the Purdue Boilermakers, lost to the University of Connecticut Huskies in the finals, 75-60.
The 21-year-old gentle giant was the center of attention in the past season, and the attention is not limited to good ones.
Edey, who scored 37 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks in the final game, was criticized; some were constructive, and some were just below the belt.
Purdue coach Matt Painter has a simple explanation for why his star is getting such negative attention.
"You ever watch the cartoons and there's the bad guy that gets all the hate? And everybody's coming at him?" the finalist coach told reporters after their team's loss.
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"The best player in college basketball ... becomes 'cartoon bad guy.' That's just the way it is."
Edey could get more attention to himself once he moves to the next phase of his basketball career.
He reportedly decided not to take advantage of the COVID season, although he has yet to declare for the NBA draft.
Edey's classy response to question about his legacy
Edey will go down as one of the most legendary players from Purdue.
In the last two seasons, he has won the Pete Newell Big Man Award, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, and the National College Player of the Year back-to-back.
The records speak for itself. Painter also thinks he will be one of the school's great.
Edey, however, refuses to take the lead in defining his career. All he knows is that he gave his best each game.
"You can say whatever you want about me... but you can never say that I didn't give it a 100 percent every single time I step on the floor," he said post-game.
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