Cedric Coward remaining in NBA draft

The big transfer portal pickup for Duke proved too good to be true.

In a manner of speaking.

Cedric Coward announced Saturday afternoon that he is remaining in the NBA draft and not coming to Duke. He committed to the Blue Devils in late April during a visit to Durham and was the only transfer expected to play a significant role next season.

It’s not much of a surprise, given how quickly the 6-6, 213-pound wing has seen his draft stock explode over the last couple of weeks.

It became almost a foregone conclusion when Duke landed Italian Dame Sarr, an incoming freshman who turns 19 in a couple of weeks and projects in the same role Coward would have had with the Blue Devils.

Coward entered the NBA draft after playing six games for Washington State this past season. He averaged 17.7 points and seven rebounds per game, making 12 of 30 3-pointers (40%) with an offensive rating of 131.3 (KenPom).

But he suffered a shoulder injury in practice that required surgery and cost him the rest of the season. He has almost fully recovered but was unable to play in the scrimmages at the NBA Combine because he was not cleared for full contact.

At the NBA Combine in Chicago, Coward’s measurements and performance in drills solidified his standing as a first-round pick. His three-quarter sprint of 3.06 seconds was fourth-best of any player at the combine (former Blue Devil Sion James was first, at 2.97).

Of players listed as guards at the combine, Coward’s standing reach (8 feet, 10 inches) and wingspan (7-2¼) were both the largest measurements. Also among guards, his standing vertical leap of 32½ inches was tied for third-best.

And then there were the shooting numbers. Coward made 23 of 30 shots off the dribble; 18 of 25 spot-up shots; 17 of 25 in the 3-point star drill; 14 of 23 in the 3-point side drill; and 9 of 10 free throws.

The measurables outweigh the relative unknown that comes with Coward only playing 13 career games against power-conference opponents. In such games, Coward’s numbers are: 9.0 points per game, 45-for-99 shooting, 9-for-41 on 3-pointers (21.9%), 6.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.1 turnovers per game.