Cedric Coward came to the Memphis Grizzlies as a mystery.
He played six games at Washington State before a shoulder injury ended his 2024-25 season. The plan was to transfer to Duke, but his NBA pre-draft workouts went so well that he skyrocketed up draft boards and was eventually acquired with the 11th overall pick by the Grizzlies.
He didn’t play in summer league as he continued to rehab from shoulder surgery. The lack of social media workout footage added to the growing mystique. But the risk is already paying off.
Coward is starting on a Memphis team (9-12) that is currently playing its best basketball of the season. In the process, he has turned into a top-five candidate for NBA Rookie of the Year on most betting sites.
“He’s been taking advantage of the opportunity,” Grizzlies wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope told The Commercial Appeal. “He’s been playing well. If he keeps playing well, his opportunity will get even bigger.”
The unknown with Coward has been replaced with palpable buzz.
Coward has heard the noise, the awards talk, already being compared to NBA stars. He’s choosing to take the day-to-day approach through what has been a long journey to get to this point.
“For me, I can only be where my feet are at the moment,” Coward told The Commercial Appeal. “I can only enjoy the process.”
Cedric Coward making a difference
Coward came off the bench his first 13 NBA games before replacing Caldwell-Pope in the starting lineup. He’s averaging 13.2 points and six rebounds while shooting 45.2% from the field. Of the 10 Grizzlies players who have played at least 500 possessions this season, Coward’s 2.8 net rating is the second-highest behind Vince Williams Jr. (3.2).
What makes Coward so effective is his versatility. It isn’t tied to how well he’s shooting or scoring in a given game. He’s shooting 35.4% on 3-pointers after cooling off from deep, having made just two of his past 18 3-pointers. However, BBall Index rates Coward in the 91st percentile of defensive matchup difficulty. His 10.2 rebounding percentage is behind only Santi Aldama and Jock Landale among Grizzlies with at least 500 possessions.
“I think rebounding is so crucial,” Coward said. “For me, I’ve always been a naturally good rebounder, but when you’re with the best athletes in the world, you have to have a different mentality when you rebound.”
Cedric Coward’s moment of adversity
His biggest mental test this season came when he had “a funny feeling” in his foot after the Nov. 18 game against the Boston Celtics. An injury that Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo referred to as a “stress reaction” forced the team to dial back its usage of the rookie.
Coward was feeling better just days after the injury, but the Grizzlies opted to keep him on a minutes restriction of about 25 minutes for five games.
As a rookie who wants to play, the 22-year-old admits that he’s still learning the process of patience in an 82-game season and potentially a long NBA career.
“It’s like you’re battling two different things. You’re battling looking long term, but also you’re dealing with right now because you want to be where your feet are, and that’s where I want to be,” he said.
Cedric Coward controlling the hype
Iisalo and Landale are among those who have highlighted Coward’s unique poise as a rookie. Before Coward even played a game, guard Scotty Pippen Jr. called him one of the best rookies he has ever seen.
Coward was recently compared to two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard by Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green. Coward found out after his mom told him.
“It’s great to hear it, but at the same time, I’m just trying to be the best Cedric I can be,” Coward said.
Memphis has had success in recent years with rookies, and Coward seems to be the next in line. Since 2018-19, seven Grizzlies players have been named to the NBA All-Rookie team. Of that group, only Ja Morant took home Rookie of the Year honors.
The competition is stiff this season if Coward wants to join Morant. Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel are among the early favorites.
Coward has goals, just like any other player, but he isn’t setting his sights on being the top rookie if it doesn’t lead to him becoming the most impactful on a winning team.
“It’s cool,” he said of potentially being Rookie of the Year. “In the media sense, it makes you one of the better rookies, but at the same time, it’s not surpassing my goal of winning games. If I could give up Rookie of the Year for winning more games, making the playoffs and all that, I’d do that in a heartbeat.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
