Duke basketball gets commitment from Cedric Coward, who could be starter for Blue Devils
Jon Scheyer and Duke basketball have landed their first commitment from the transfer portal ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Washington State transfer Cedric Coward announced his commitment to the Blue Devils in an Instagram post on April 28, writing “I think Blue is my color!” with a photo of him in a Duke jersey.
“I’m excited to be joining the Duke family! Thank you to Coach Scheyer and the entire staff for believing in me. I truly believe God has led me to Duke, just as He has led Duke to me. I will also be keeping my name in the NBA Draft to continue testing the waters.”
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The deadline for college players to withdraw their names from the draft and maintain their eligibility is May 28. Coward is currently projected to be a late first-round pick or early second-round selection.
Here’s a breakdown of Coward’s history in college basketball and what he could provide for the Blue Devils.
Cedric Coward injury, college stats
A 6-foot-6, 206-pound wing from Washington State, Coward was on track to be one of the top players in college basketball during the 2024-25 season before a shoulder injury ended his senior year after six games. In those six games, Coward averaged 17.7 points, 7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and nearly 2 blocks.
He shot 56% from the floor, including 40% from 3-point range, and made 84% of his free throws. A two-time transfer who started his career at Division III Willamette University in Oregon, Coward averaged 19.4 points and 12 rebounds per game as a freshman. He set a school record with 67 blocks and was second among DIII players with 19 double-doubles, including 15 in a row to end his first year of college hoops.
That success led him to Eastern Washington, where he spent two seasons as an All-Big Sky player for the Eagles. After averaging 7.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 21.6 minutes in his first year, Coward boosted those numbers to 15.4 points and 6.7 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per game as a junior. The Fresno, Calif. native reportedly narrowed his list of schools to Duke and Alabama before picking the Blue Devils.
