One of this year’s late risers, Cedric Coward could be a ready made two-way contributor on the wing for Atlanta.
At 6’5”, 213 pounds to go along with a monstrous 7’2” wingspan and the ability to score from all three levels, Cedric Coward has all the tools to be an impactful two-way NBA player sooner rather than later, making the 21 year old an extremely enticing option for the Atlanta Hawks (who hold the 13th and 22nd picks) in the upcoming NBA draft.
Coward, who turns 22 in September, has one of the more unique development paths amongst the prospects in the 2025 draft class. He grew up in Fresno, California, and was not heavily recruited out of high school, beginning his collegiate career at the Division III level playing for Willamette University in Oregon. After an utterly dominant freshman season at Willamette (Coward averaged 19.5 points, 12 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 60.8% from the floor and 45.3% from three in 24 games for the Bearcats), he transferred to Eastern Washington ahead of his sophomore year to test his mettle against Division I competition in the Big Sky Conference.
Coward excelled in a low usage role off the bench in his first year at Eastern Washington*, putting him on the radars of NBA scouts for the first time, before truly breaking out during his junior season.
*Coward averaged 7.0 points (shooting 68.3% from the floor and 39.4% from three) and 5.6 rebounds while posting steal/block rates north of 2% as a sophomore
In 32 appearances as a junior, Coward led Eastern Washington in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game on extremely efficient splits, shooting 56.5% from the floor, 39.4% from three (on 4.2 attempts per game), and 89.5% from the free throw line.
He was able to utilize his massive wingspan both on the glass and on the defensive end, snagging 6.7 rebounds per game while posting steal and block rates of 1.8% and 3.5%, respectively. While he still had room to grow as an on-ball creator (totaling 54 assists and 71 turnovers), he was clearly one of the best players in the Big Sky in 2023-24, and was named to the All-Conference First Team at the end of the season.
Coward transferred schools again ahead of senior year in college after his head coach at Eastern Washington (David Riley) took a job at Washington State with Coward deciding to follow him there. In his first six games for Washington State last season, Coward looked phenomenal, averaging 17.7 points (on shooting 55.7% from the floor, 40% from three (12-for-30), and 83.9% from the free throw line), 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists*, 1.7 blocks and 0.8 steals before his season was unfortunately cut short after he suffered a torn labrum in practice on November 22nd.
*and just 2.2 turnovers!
Coward entered the transfer portal and declared for the draft at the end of the 2024-25 season, and he initially committed to Duke before an impressive performance at the combine solidified his draft status. At the combine, Coward posted the largest wingspan, third-quickest three quarter sprint time, and the third highest standing vertical leap amongst guards at the combine. He also posted the third best three-point shooting percentage amongst all prospects in the 3PT Star shooting drill, going 17-for-25.
On the offensive side of the ball, the big draw for Coward is how well his perimeter shooting is expected to translate to the NBA level. He shot 38.8% (76-for-196) in his three seasons in Division I, and nailed 40.7% (55-for-135) of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts over his last two seasons.
He has a high release point (thanks to that 7’2” wingspan), his mechanics are fluid, and his shooting form is consistent, leaving little doubt about his ability to be a reliable perimeter threat at the next level. For an Atlanta Hawks team that ranked sixth in “wide open” three-point attempts* last season, but just 22nd in accuracy on these looks, Coward’s shooting would fill an immediate need.
*three-point attempts with the closest defender 6+ feet away
Coward is a high-level shooter, but he is also adept as an inside the arc scorer. He shot a ridiculous 76% at the rim (reminder that Coward is only 6’5”) and 58.6% from the mid-range on decent volume in his three Division I seasons and was able to carve out opportunities for himself by attacking closeouts and moving off the ball.
As a creator, though his ball handling could certainly use a bit of polish, he exhibited growth as a passer in his six games for Washington State last season, averaging 3.7 assists against 2.2 turnovers per game after posting a negative assist-to-turnover ratio as a junior. He likely won’t ever be able to shoulder primary ball handler duties at the NBA level, but there is reason to believe that he could develop into a capable secondary ball handler with the right coaching.
On the defensive end, Coward’s 7’2” wingspan and 213-pound frame are real assets. His unique blend of strength, speed and length gives him the ability to guard 2-through-4 and allows him to cover a ton of ground as a help defender. He averaged 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks, and just 3.1 fouls per 40 minutes across his three seasons in Division I, showcasing his ability to be a disruptive defender without fouling. He also impressed with his ability to navigate screens when defending on the ball. While he does need to work on his footwork and was caught ball watching on a few occasions, he has a high defensive floor and is projected to develop into an average to above-average defender at the NBA level.
Due to Coward’s status as a late-bloomer as well as his lack of experience against high-level D-I competition, he is a bit of a polarizing prospect in draft circles, and I’d project his draft range to be somewhere between 10-to-20. ESPN’s latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo had the Hawks picking him at 22, though I’d be quite surprised to see a player with his skillset make it past the top 20. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has him ranked 10th on his big board, and he had the Spurs picking him at 14 in his most recent mock.
Coward’s shooting ability, perimeter defense and high IQ style of play would make him a great fit for any team that is looking to win in the short term (like the Hawks!). While he lacks the star-level upside of some of the other players in his draft range, he has a high floor and possesses all the tools he needs to contribute from day one and could eventually develop into a high-level two way player.