Washington State transfer Cedric Coward will not play for Duke

Duke is expected to be a national championship contender again under Jon Scheyer in 2025-26. The Blue Devils will have to play this season without a big piece.

Washington State transfer Cedric Coward did the expected on Saturday and stayed in the 2025 NBA Draft.

NEWS: Cedric Coward is keeping his name in the 2025 NBA draft and will forgo the opportunity to play at Duke next season, he told ESPN.

STORY: https://t.co/0S4EK3HoqK pic.twitter.com/sGqUhJYvGy

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 24, 2025

“This is the best opportunity for me to achieve part of my dream, which is making the NBA,” Coward told ESPN. “Everything is pointing in the right direction right now to follow that.”

“This was always the main goal. Even if I went to Duke, it would have been in order to get to this level. I feel like I am ready. It didn’t hurt that I did pretty well at the combine.”

Cedric Coward (6-6, 206) began his collegiate career in Division III playing for Willamette University. After averaging 19.4 points and 12 rebounds, Coward transferred to Eastern Washington where he spent two seasons in the Big Sky Conference. The wing averaged 15.4 points as a junior in 2023-24 and earned all-conference honors. Coward then transferred again and landed at Washington State.

Unfortunately, the injury bug arrived. Cedric Coward played in only six games due to torn shoulder labrum and took a redshirt giving him an additional year of eligibility. The multi-time transfer entered the portal one more time and landed at Duke. The transfer picked the Blue Devils over Alabama, Florida, Kansas, and Washington on April 28.

That Duke career ended less than a month later. After a strong pre-draft performance at the combine, Cedric Coward is currently a projected first-round pick.

Now all attention in the Bluegrass State turns to Otega Oweh. The Kentucky standout still has a final draft decision to make but a big college basketball domino fell on Saturday. Duke will be true frosh-heavy led by the Boozer Twins and Dame Sarr without prized transfer Cedric Coward in the lineup.

Kentucky Men’s Basketball 2025-26 Roster Tracker

COMMITS (8)

• Kam Williams – G – Tulane – 9.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 48.5% FG, 41.2% 3PT | Committed 3/28
• Jaland Lowe – G – Pittsburgh – 16.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 37.6% FG, 26.6% 3PT | Committed 4/5
• Mouhamed Dioubate – F – Alabama – 7.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 61.7% FG, 46.2% 3PT | Committed 4/7
• Jayden Quaintance – F – Arizona State – 9.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG, 52.5 FG% | Committed 4/8
• Andrija Jelavic – C – Mega Basket — 10.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.4 APG, 50.3% FG, 32.3% 3PT | – Committed 4/12
• Denzel Aberdeen – G – Florida – 7.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 41.8 FG%, 35 3PT% | Committed 4/21
• Reece Potter – C – Miami (OH) — 6.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 46.6 FG%, 36.7 3PT% | Committed 5/5
• Braydon Hawthorne – SF – Huntington Prep (WV) – 4-star, No. 35 overall | Committed 5/20

RETURNING / INCOMING (6)

• Otega Oweh – G – Rising Senior – 16.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 49.2% FG, 35.5% 3PT | Going through NBA Draft process
• Brandon Garrison – C – Rising Junior – 5.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 50.9% | Confirmed return on 4/12
• Collin Chandler – C- Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 36.1% FG, 34.7% 3PT | Confirmed return on 4/17
• Trent Noah – F – Rising Sophomore – 2.7 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 45.1% FG, 33.3% 3PT | Confirmed return on 4/18
• Malachi Moreno – C – Incoming Freshman – Great Crossing (Georgetown, KY)
• Jasper Johnson – SG – Incoming Freshman – Overtime Elite (Lexington, KY)