Cedric Coward, a forward for Washington State, was draughted by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2025 NBA Draft, making him one of the cycle’s biggest unknowns.
Starting the night at No. 16, the team eventually traded up to No. 11 to get their man in Coward after dealing star player Desmond Bane to the Magic for a package that included a ’25 first round pick.
Despite not playing since November, 6-foot-6 Coward’s pre-draft ranking soared thanks to his verified NBA-level talents and his 7-foot-2 wingspan.
He rejoined the team for his final year after transferring from Eastern Washington, however he only got to participate in six games before tearing his labrum, which has since sidelined him. Several sources have indicated that he will be ready for training camp, despite sitting out Summer League.
In contrast to most slender wings, Coward has a history of success from beyond the arc during his time at the university level.
He established himself as a significant perimeter threat between his sophomore and senior years, shooting 39% on 2.7 attempts per game.
With a core orbiting Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., it’s clear the Grizzlies drafted Coward with hopes to turn him into a malleable 3-and-D wing.
But he’s undoubtedly still a question mark having played nowhere near NBA competition in his competitive career.
He has a ways to go in finding consistent offense inside, and could stay to better his defense as a whole despite otherworldly tools.
Still, it’s hard to argue with the Grizzlies’ track record. The team has a long history of finding both stars and rotational players at the draft, and it’s easy to trust their evaluation on Coward given how easy a pathway to rotational minutes he could have.
The NBA jump could prove a large one for Coward, but Memphis has ample time to develop their new forward over the next few seasons.
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