The Memphis Grizzlies made one of the most ambitious moves of the entire 2025 NBA Draft. In a draft day trade with Portland, the Grizzlies gave up the 16th overall pick, a 2028 first-round pick (via Orlando), and two future second-round picks to move up to the 11th overall pick. Ultimately, they ended up selecting Cedric Coward out of Washington State.
Cedric Coward took a unique path to reach the NBA. He began his collegiate career playing Division III basketball for Willamette University, winning the Northwest Conference Freshman of the Year award. He then transferred to Eastern Washington to play under David Riley, who was impressed with Coward's performance against Division I Portland.
After two seasons with Eastern Washington, Coward once again entered the portal and followed Coach Riley to Washington State, the same school Jaylen Wells previously played at. Coward got off to a strong start, averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in six games before having surgery on his left shoulder. Coward entered the portal after the season and committed to Duke, but decided to keep his name in the NBA draft pool following the draft combine.
Despite the injury happening in November 2024, Cedric Coward was not cleared to play in summer league play after he was drafted by the Grizzlies. Since then, Coward had been drawing significant praise from his teammates and head coach Tuomas Iisalo during training camp. The first two preseason games were Coward's first live game action in almost a year. Unsurprisingly, Coward looked rusty but showed promising signs.
Coward showed promise despite missed shots
Cedric Coward made his preseason debut against the Detroit Pistons on October 6th. It was a difficult game for Coward offensively, as he shot 0 for 7 from the field and only scored one point from a made free throw. Cedric Coward was also given the tough task of guarding the All-Star Cade Cunningham on multiple possessions. Despite having offensive rust to shake off, Coward still showed good rebounding and flashes of defensive playmaking.
Cedric Coward played much better against the Boston Celtics on October 8th. Despite missing all of his three-point shots in preseason so far, Coward looked significantly more comfortable offensively against Boston. After a slow start, Coward finished with 15 points and six rebounds. He shot 30.7% from the field, but it was encouraging seeing him get to the free-throw line with ease. Coward should become a reliable presence on offense once his three-point shots start going in.
In a small sample size, Cedric Coward has shown the two-way value that he is capable of giving the Grizzlies in the near future. Despite being a lottery pick, there still needs to be early patience with Coward. With the lack of game action since his injury, Coward will likely have growing pains as a rookie. Ultimately, the signs suggest that Cedric Coward can be a game-changer for the Grizzlies.