PULLMAN — Guard Cedric Coward, who is looking to move on from Washington State after one injury-shortened season, might not be playing too far away next season.
Coward is considering rival Washington, according to a report from On 3 Sports, which indicates Coward’s other finalists include Duke, Alabama, Kansas and Florida, which won the national championship last weekend. Coward entered the transfer portal on April 9, maintaining his intention to test the NBA draft waters later this spring/summer.
Coward, who suffered his season-ending shoulder injury during a Nov. 22 practice in Pullman, averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in his one season at WSU. After spending his freshman season at Division III Willamette, Coward transferred to Eastern Washington for his sophomore and junior seasons, following coach David Riley to WSU last spring.
Coward is the fifth Cougar to enter the portal this offseason, joining guards Nate Calmese, Isaiah Watts (Maryland-bound) and Marcus Wilson, plus wing LeJuan Watts (Texas Tech-bound). Forwards Ethan Price and Dane Erikstrup are also set to exhaust their eligibility, forcing Riley and the Cougars to replace their entire starting lineup, which has happened to WSU two seasons in a row.
In a college basketball system largely dictated by name, image and likeness dollars, Coward’s decision to enter the portal might make the most sense for him financially.
A player of Coward’s caliber is likely to fetch well north of seven figures in NIL, whereas players selected late in the draft’s second round — where many projections have him slotted — earned around $1-2 million per year in last year’s draft.
In the days since Coward entered the portal, WSU has landed one reinforcement, Morehead State transfer guard Jerone Morton, who announced his commitment on Monday evening. Morton averaged a shade over 10 points per game last season, carrying 60 total games of experience at Morehead State to WSU.
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