Despite Season-Ending Injury, Cedric Coward Still Worth an NBA Draft Pick

Before being sidelined for the season after just six games with a shoulder surgery, Washington State combo forward Cedric Coward was having a very impressive season with the Cougars, his first year in Pullman after transferring from Eastern Washington.

Following his former head coach David Riley to WSU, Coward was voted to the all-West Coast Conference preseason team, and was backing up the hype by averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 55.7% from the field.

The 6-foot-6, 206-pound wing was Washington State's leading scorer, while shooting 40% from beyond the arc and 84% from the free-throw line. His dual-positional versatility between both wing and power forward make him a valuable "tweener" in the NBA that can split time between two different spots on the floor. He's also physically strong and has good motor, with a rebound percentage of 12.6%.

What really improved from his junior to his senior year however was his ability to initiate offense – his 3.7 assists were by far the most he'd ever averaged in his career, with his second-highest total coming from his sophomore season at Eastern Washington, where he put up 1.8 per game. This skill is so important for a wing player, as much of the new wave in NBA circles is having multiple players on the floor that can facilitate. Able to do so both from the perimeter as well as from the post makes his offense that much better.

Coward's ceiling as a two-way type of combo forward could allow for him to play early in his career in the NBA, as he is an active defender that can both block shots and get his hands in passing lanes to force turnovers. Typically, defense can be a work in progress for these kinds of prospects, but Coward was averaging 2.5 stocks per contest, making him one of the better defenders on the team at WSU. His ability to switch from the post onto guards makes him even more valuable on the defensive end.

Overall, his injury did him no favors, as Coward was getting buzz as a possible late-first-rounder. Still, he is worth a selection in the second round from what he's been able to demonstrate on both ends of the floor. With luck, he will be a top-40 pick that will return significant value.

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