Cedric Coward is learning from his first steps in the NBA

In addition to Kon Knuepel, Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe and Jeremiah Fears, Cedric Coward is a bit of an intruder in the top 5 best beginner shooters at the beginning of the season. Drafted 11th overall by the Blazers, then traded to the Grizzlies, 22-year-old winger Washington State native quickly acclimated to the NBA and was still averaging more than 15 points per game a week ago before suffering a rough four-game stretch.

Everything remains satisfactory, especially in terms of his defensive contribution and his external address, valuable in the difficult context of Memphis from the start, with a nice 37% success from behind the arc in almost five attempts per match.

Adjustments on the ground and in the head

The first forty competitive days allowed him to realize what he had already achieved, but also to point out what he still needs to work on.

“I’d say nothing really surprised me. I grew up watching the NBA, and I expect to have to play against the best players in the world, whether it’s speed, physicality. It’s all still new, and it takes some adjusting to college basketball.”, he stated. “One of my teammates told me he still sees NCCA basketball habits in me that I need to get rid of. And I agree with him.”

The mental aspect is just as important, and Cedric Coward has already noticed a positive evolution after twenty matches of the regular season, especially in the way he approaches his matches and… accepting mistakes.

“My goal has always been the same: to go out on the field and play as well as I can. But I had a bad preseason, because I was trying to be too perfect. A little robotic, trying to do everything right. I was able to shake it off, and you know what? It’s okay to make mistakes. Even if you want to play well, to be as perfect as possible, not to be as perfect as possible, the problem is, if you make a mistake, that’s part of the problem, if the mistake is OK. So now I’m not less nervous about it.”he added.

Before coming to the NBA, Cedric Coward didn’t have a clear path, as he didn’t receive any college offers out of high school, so he had to go through a third division college before getting noticed. During his final NCAA season, he quickly injured his shoulder, ending the 2024-25 season prematurely.

The winger owes his success primarily to his determination and ability to work hard to improve. From these adventures was born the course of action that he continues to follow. And so far she has proved herself right.

“I would say this sentence: “No one will do the work for you”. This is how I approach life every day”he explained. “You’re going to have to do things yourself one way or another. Even if you’re asking someone else to do something for you, you have to take the initiative to ask.” How good do you want to be? You decide. Because the difference between excellent and decent players is not that big”.

Some great comparisons to his credit already

In any case, his performances did not go unnoticed in the rest of the league, which already earned him some nice “nicknames”. After being compared to Michael Redd or Khris Middleton before the draft, the latest compliment came from Draymond Green, who compared him to a young Kawhi Leonard…

“It’s really cool to know that I’m being compared to these great players, especially Kawhi, who’s going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. It’s amazing. Because I’m just trying to be the best I can be, I look up to Kawhi. And Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kobe Bryant, Michael Bryant, Michael Bryant, I want to be a different player than Jordan. Anyone in particular, my main job is to work harder than anybody else and do my best.”

Tonight’s match in Sacramento will be another opportunity for him to demonstrate that. During the last matchup between the two teams ten days ago, Cedric Coward had one of his best early season games with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 25 minutes in a 137-96 victory.

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.