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Grizzlies Receive Encouraging Injury News on 6-Foot-6 Forward

The Memphis Grizzlies have received some encouraging news regarding one of their top young forwards
Jared Knobloch|
Mar 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12), center in white hoodie, looks on from the bench in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12), center in white hoodie, looks on from the bench in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies this past season finished as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They made it out of the play-in tournament but lost in the first round to the eventual champion, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That led them to focus on the 2025 NBA Draft, making the decision to trade up to the 11th pick with the Portland Trail Blazers, with their eyes set on Washington State wing Cedric Coward. Despite having a chance to head to play for the Duke Blue Devils, Coward received enough feedback to enter the draft and ended up becoming a lottery selection.

Coward Cleared For Takeoff

Coward missed the NBA Summer League due to a shoulder injury, which was reported on July 4.

That meant Grizzlies fans were unable to see their newest player perform in an NBA setting, but gave them plenty of time to view his highlights in college.

The news came out that he is now "100% cleared for all basketball activities. He’ll be a full go in training camp, and he’s really excited about it after not being able to play during summer league," shared Damichael Cole of Commercial Appeal.

"It’s like letting the wolves out," Coward shared. "That’s what it is."

After being set back due to injuries, Coward will now have the chance to get out on the court and get ready for training camp, with a handful of preseason games set for early October.

How Coward Will Fit In With His Memphis Teammates

Coward is a known scorer, as he averaged 17.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for Washington State last season. He also connected on 40% of his 3-pointers, which will come in handy, especially when paired with Ja Morant on a wing-side pick-and-roll.

With Jaren Jackson Jr. either clogging up the paint or stretching out to the three, Coward theoretically should fit in well with those two stars, being able to fill in where they are not. As a rookie, his immediate impact won't be known until later on in the season, but the upsides are promising.

Listed as a A-plus pick by the Grizzlies by longtime NBA Analyst Kevin O'Connor, Coward "might be the steal of the draft."

While the 21-year-old has yet to play an NBA game, lots of people are seeing the upside with him. Especially with the departure of Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic, Coward has a chance to fight his way into the starting lineup with the need for play on the wing. If given the right space to grow, the Grizzlies might have an important piece to their core that could steer them towards contender status.

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Jared Knobloch
JARED KNOBLOCH

Jared Knobloch is a sports journalist based in San Diego. He covers the NBA G League’s San Diego Clippers for The Sporting Tribune and previously reported on San Diego State basketball for The Daily Aztec. He earned his B.A. in Journalism from San Diego State University.

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