Will Cedric Coward get drafted in 2025? Washington State standout's NBA draft chances explored

Washington State guard Cedric Coward doesn't have the clout similar to Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, but he has the talent and skill that could potentially cause a stir in the 2025 NBA draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 25-26.

Coward had a busy offseason, declaring for the draft and placing his name in the transfer portal. He announced his commitment to play for Duke this coming season, but he changed his mind and decided to continue his dream of becoming an NBA superstar.

Initial mock drafts place the 21-year-old player as a late first-round pick. But after an impressive draft combine and positive raves from scouts, his draft stock climbed rapidly, putting him between the No. 10 and No. 15 pick in the latest edition.

Various mock draft analysts saw some similarities with NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in Coward due to his 3-and-D wing build, athleticism and length. Other experts, on the other hand, see him play more of a connector role—akin to Derrick White—due to his versatility and willingness to do everything to help his team win the game.

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Cedric Coward seeks to prove he is more than just the hype

The offseason announcement to commit to Duke may have triggered a surge in publicity for the 6-6 Fresno, California, native, who initially played at Willamette University—a Division III school.

The guard won the Northwest Conference Freshman of the Year and was named to the All-First Team after averaging 19.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.8 blocks per game.

His excellent showing at Williamette handed him an opportunity to transfer to Eastern Washington, where he spent the next two seasons and was awarded the All-Big Sky First Team honors in 2023-24 after posting 15.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.7 apg and 1.0 spg and shooting 56.5% from the field and 89.5% from the free-throw line.

Cedric Coward played six games for Washington State last season (Image Source: IMAGN)

He transferred to Washington State this past season but only saw action in six games due to a shoulder injury. He tallied 17.7 ppg, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game before sitting out the remainder of the campaign.

His former coach, David Riley, was impressed with Coward's character and work ethic on the court. He expects the guard to continue it while moving up to the professional ranks.

“Once you put him in an environment, he’s such a high-character kid and overachiever that he’s going to do a little bit more than everyone else, and that’s kind of the way it progressed,” Riley said.

There have been a lot of positive comments surrounding the Washington State wing, which could boost his draft stock even further. The question now lies with each team if they'll take a chance on a little-known player who has the potential of becoming the next NBA superstar.

We can only find that out in the NBA draft on Wednesday.

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Edited by Geoff