"This would have been epic" - Colin Cowherd mocks ESPN's fumble of saying his name during Blazers' No. 11 selection of Cedric Coward

The Portland Trail Blazers selected Washington State forward Cedric Coward with the 11th pick of the 2025 NBA draft, trading him to the Memphis Grizzlies. During the broadcast on ESPN, Malika Andrews called him Collin Coward, prompting Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd to react on social media.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Cowherd shared an AI-generated image of himself in a Blazers jersey. The analyst seemingly mocked Andrews' mistake in saying Coward's name right, saying Colin instead of Cedric. Cowherd and Coward don't have the same surname, but they sound alike when pronounced properly.

"Nothing against Memphis but this would have been epic," Cowherd tweeted.

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The Portland Trail Blazers traded Cedric Coward to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to Yang Hansen, who was the 16th pick of the draft. The Blazers also traded a 2028 first-round pick owned by the Orlando Magic, a 2027 second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks and a 2028 second-round pick from the Sacramento Kings.

It was a nice haul for a Blazers front office that was high on Yang, whom they have scouted in China over the past couple of years. As for the Grizzlies, they get a quality player in Coward.

The Washington State forward had an intriguing collegiate career, starting at Division III Willamette in Oregon, transferring to Eastern Washington in his second year and spending his senior season with the Cougars. He was supposed to transfer to Duke for his final year of eligibility before changing his mind and entering the draft.

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Grizzlies GM explains why they traded up to get Cedric Coward

Grizzlies GM explains why they traded up to get Cedric Coward. (Photo: IMAGN)

The Memphis Grizzlies began their offseason by trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and a bunch of first-round picks. Many thought that it was a move signaling a rebuild, but general manager Zach Kleiman has other plans.

Kleiman told The Commercial Appeal that he knows the Grizzlies are a few pieces away from a championship. He wants the focus to improve on perimeter defense, so adding KCP was a huge boost. He's also impressed with Jaylen Wells, who was fantastic for them as a rookie.

Adding Cedric Coward makes their perimeter defense better, with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. likely staying put this season. Jackson is expected to sign a new contract with the team, as per The Commercial Appeal.

Edited by Juan Paolo David