Color Scheme

Subscribe now
WSU Men's Basketball

Former WSU, EWU wing Cedric Coward to remain in NBA draft pool, forgo commitment to Duke

Cedric Coward answers questions from reporters during media availability at the NBA draft combine at Wintrust Arena on May 14 in Chicago.  (Getty Images)
By Greg Woods gregw@spokesman.com(509) 459-5587

PULLMAN – Cedric Coward won’t be taking his talents to Duke after all.

The former Washington State and Eastern Washington wing is keeping his name in the NBA draft, according to a Saturday report from ESPN, forgoing the opportunity to play at Duke, where he committed last month.

“This is the best opportunity for me to achieve part of my dream, which is making the NBA,” Coward told ESPN. “Everything is pointing in the right direction right now to follow that.”

Coward played only six games last season in his one year at WSU due to a season-ending shoulder injury, averaging 17.7 points, 7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game, shooting 40% from 3-point range.

Even with limited experience at WSU, Coward has been rising up draft boards because of his 6-foot-6 frame, shooting acumen and relatively young age at 21.

After starting his career at Division III Willamette, Coward spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons at Eastern Washington, where he played for coach David Riley, winning back-to-back Big Sky regular-season titles and earning an All-Big Sky first-team selection in 2024. Last spring, when Riley accepted the head coaching job at WSU, Coward followed him.

This April, Coward entered the transfer portal while keeping his name in the NBA draft, whittling his list of finalists to Duke, Alabama, Florida, Washington and Kansas. He chose the Blue Devils’ program in an April 28 announcement, but he also made it clear he intended to continue testing the draft waters, which he also did last year.

Coward earned an invite to the NBA draft combine, where he tested well in several areas, impressing scouts and general managers.

They liked his 7-2 wingspan, according to ESPN, which projects Coward to go in the first round of next month’s draft with the No. 30 overall pick.

If Coward does get drafted – all indications are that he will – it will mark the third consecutive year a Cougar hears his name called in the NBA draft. In 2023, Mo Gueye went No. 39 overall to the Charlotte Hornets (he was later traded to Atlanta), and in 2024, Jaylen Wells was taken by the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 39 overall selection.