Cedric Coward defends Ja Morant, fires back at his critics

The Memphis Grizzlies have accepted the reconstruction of some of their younger players like Cedric Coward and were looking for trades for I Morant before the NBA trade deadline in 2026. While rumors continue to swirl around Morant and his future with the franchise, Coward wants everyone to know exactly what the Grizzlies point guard is like.

Speaking with HoopsHipe at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Cedric Coward was asked about the perception Ja Morant has around the league and what it’s like to actually be around him.

It can be said that Coward did not hold back.

“Yes, it depends on what people think of him,” Cedric Coward told HoopsHipe. “If you want to say all the negative connotations about him, you’re dead wrong and you need to keep your thoughts to yourself. I’m one of the best people I’ve ever met. One of the best people around. He’s the same, stupid – we quote movies all the time. I mean, he’s always getting down.”

Ja Moranta and his leadership were called out by head coach Tuomas Iisalo in early November 2025 and suspended for one game for what the team called “conduct detrimental to the team.” Morant wanted to remain a member of the Grizzlies and remained professional throughout the process.

Coward went on to explain how great a teammate Morant was to him.

“What people portray him to be is not what he is. He’ll take care of you in the sense, when we had an ice storm, he offered to buy me groceries, he just doesn’t have to do those little things, but he does it out of the goodness of his heart and just taking care of people, just because that’s who he is. It’s like his nature. Li is at the same time, and he’s at the same time to be around. all the time, he’s one of the people that I would bring to my cooking, you know, and you’d say: “Hey man, come on. You know what I’m saying? And everybody would love him.”

In 48 appearances so far this season, Cedric Coward is averaging 13.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 34 percent from three.

Ja Morant has struggled to stay on the field this season, playing in just 20 games this season. He averaged 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 28.5 minutes per game.