This week has been a big one for the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball program. They managed to extract a commitment from Italian wing Dame Sarr, the top international prospect. Sarr is projected to start alongside five-star forward Cam Boozer, the son of former NBA star Carlos Boozer. However, they’ll have to make due without Cedric Coward, a now former commit who has decided to keep his name in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Over the past two seasons, Coward’s averaged 15.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.0 steal per game. In that stretch, he converted 38.7 percent of his 3s. In his abbreviated 2024-25 campaign, he averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game. This came with him converting 40.0 percent of his 3s.
A heady scorer with soft touch, defensive upside and ideal length, the Fresno native not only looks the part on paper, he has the game to match.
Thunder, Celtics Host Cedric Coward For Private Draft Workout
In the same way that players like Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Jalen Williams snuck up the draft board, Coward is a prospect who’s getting traction at just the right time. With a blend of physical tools and basketball skills that project nicely at the next level, several teams have queued up to see what the hubbub is about. In fact, the 21-year-old “has visited two NBA teams for private one-on-zero workouts — the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder — and has worked out in Los Angeles in front of another seven teams that came to evaluate him,” per ESPN insider Jonathan Givony.
“I’m looking for a team that wants to take a chance on me,” Coward tells Givony. “I’ve gotten really positive feedback. A lot of teams have been coy, not showing exactly how they feel.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a guarantee or not,” he adds, “there’s still work ahead of me… If I am 1 or 59, it doesn’t really matter. There’s always work to be done. It doesn’t matter what spot. It’s more about what team will give me the opportunity to show what I can do on the court.”
Of note, the Thunder have the No. 15, No. 24, and No. 44 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Celtics have the No. 28 and No. 32 pick.
Oklahoma City Thunder
As previously mentioned, the Thunder are a team that has demonstrated their ability to find a needle in a haystack.
However, their scouts are among the best in the business in a general sense. Despite being the youngest team in the NBA, they’ve had the top record in the West two seasons in a row. They’re currently in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016-17, their last season with Kevin Durant.
With that in mind, if the Thunder have their eye on Coward, that’s a good sign. As it relates to his NBA future, it’s even better, as OKC typically puts their young players in a position to succeed. That’s not just with regard to how their utilized but the efficacy of their player development program.
So far as his basketball fit, Oklahoma City places a lot of value in the 3-ball. In fact, they ranked 10th in 3-point attempts (38.8) in 2024-25. On a basic level, Coward fits because 49.2 percent of his shots came from beyond the arc in 2024-25. His shot profile even matches with regards to his free-throw rate (50.8 percent).
Boston Celtics
Unlike the Thunder, Boston isn’t a team that’s primarily built itself through the draft.
More than anything else, Celtics president Brad Stevens has looked around the league to find complementary pieces for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, they have had success with homegrown players, like Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser. Derrick White’s evolution speaks to their developmental capabilities as well.
With that being said, Boston sounds like a team that’s looking to shed salary. To that point, they might move Jrue Holiday, who’ll turn 35 this summer. If so, they’ll need to replace his outside shooting and two-way playmaking with a more affordable alternative. It’s possible that Coward could help fill that void.
Even if not though, Coward’s shot-selection fits the the Celtics as much as the Thunder. Indeed, Boston averaged more 3-pointers (48.2) than any team last season. Meanwhile, they struggled to generate free-throws (19.1 per game), finishing dead last in that category.
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