Behind Boilermakers star Zach Edey is his mom, Julia, offering unconditional support

Julia Edey is spending this Mother’s Day celebrating the simple fact that she’s a mom.

For Julia, the most important part of being the mom of the seven-foot-four, Purdue Boilermakers star Zach Edey, is offering him support on and off the court.

“To be by his side for whatever decision he makes around whatever sport he plays. He’s been growing in leaps and bounds, so it’s a lot of fun,” Julia told OMNI News.

You can say basketball runs in the genes. Julia played basketball in high school but she never let that influence Zach’s journey, who initially came into sports by playing baseball and hockey. Later on, Zach chose to play basketball on his own, though, Julia admits she was very excited.

“I love it because personally, I understand the sport. I did want to see Zach have that opportunity to be able to explore parts of himself for himself, as a basketball player,” Julia said.

She said she understands the cultural pressures behind a parent wanting their child to be successful in academics and is familiar with “tiger parents,” a notorious form of strict parenting where parents want to ensure their kid’s success.

“Asians can have a reputation and habit for pushing their kids so hard in academics and leaving aside the other parts of possible life… the arts, music, sport. It’s important to be balanced and sometimes I think it’s easy to lose sight of that in whatever we’re pursuing.”

Julia’s own journey playing basketball didn’t develop at a higher level, for what she describes as a lack of “drive.”

“I didn’t really have that drive because of the fact that academics were so important. The fact that I played basketball was just an aside.”

Instead, Julia plays a role on the sidelines, letting Zach control his own life, and offering him support by being there for him through the ups and downs.

“Certainly for Zach, he is different. He’s taller than most, he’s half-Asian and that’s evident, he’s Canadian in an American system,” Julia said.

She believes Zach’s defining characteristics make him special, as they’re differences that give him an edge not everyone has.

“I think it’s an amazing thing to be able to have that opportunity where you are breaking new ground, breaking down some barriers. A lot of times, people just haven’t been exposed to the ‘different.'”

As for the two-time Wooden Award recipient – given annually to the most outstanding men’s basketball player – Zach’s future is bright and Julia says she’ll be cheering him on through it all.

“He’s working hard to try and put himself in the best position. In terms of where he’s going to be, who knows, but certainly, he’ll put his best foot forward and we’ll see where the chips fall,” Julia said.

“Wherever he lands, he knows I’ll be there to cheer him on and help get him moved there.”