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Duke Basketball Player Makes NBA Draft Decision

Potential Sixers draft prospect won't be making a Duke debut after all.
Justin Grasso|
Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center court logo before the Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center court logo before the Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

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With the conclusion of May approaching, some NBA Draft prospects have critical decisions to make regarding the upcoming season. Some will stay in the player pool, making the jump from the NCAA to the pros. Some will pull out and return to the NCAA for another round.

Duke Basketball transfer Cedric Coward entered the pre-draft process ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. Following the big event in Chicago, there was a lot of discussion surrounding Coward’s immediate future. If he projected outside of the first round, a return to make a debut with Duke was in the cards.

So far, Coward remains a first-round projected prospect. According to ESPN, he’ll remain in the draft.

"This is the best opportunity for me to achieve part of my dream, which is making the NBA," Coward told ESPN. "Everything is pointing in the right direction right now to follow that."

The Blue Devils would’ve been Coward’s fourth college team. He started at Williamette in 2021, before ending up with Eastern Washington in 2022. Last year, Coward played at Washington State. After boosting his stock over the past two years, Coward entered the NCAA transfer portal with a commitment to Duke.

However, Coward is banking on getting drafted.

The Philadelphia 76ers could be in a range to draft Coward if he’s a slider. Many mock drafts suggestshe could be a late first-round pick, but beyond the lottery is always an area where big boards tend to see shakeups.

At EWU two years ago, Coward posted averages of 15 points, seven rebounds, and two assists in 32 games. Last season, he averaged 18 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in just six games for WSU.

On day two of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Sixers are currently set to go on the clock at No. 35.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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