BROOKLYN – With the No. 11 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers selected WSU men's basketball guard Cedric Coward, before trading him to the Memphis Grizzlies. Coward's pick ties Klay Thompson as the highest overall pick in WSU history. Coward became the 19th player from Washington State to be selected as a top-60 pick and marks the third-consecutive NBA Draft with a Cougar selected, marking the first time since the 1970-72 NBA Drafts with WSU players taken in three consecutive years.
 
Coward, a Fresno, California native, had his WSU career cut short just six games into his senior season after arriving on campus last summer from Eastern Washington. Entering his senior season, Coward was named to the WCC All-Preseason Team and delivered three 20-point performances in his first six games, including a 30-point career-high against Northern Colorado before a left shoulder injury in late November ended his college career.
 
"For all the kids out there that are similar to me and hearing my story, you can keep going if you believe in yourself, have faith in the Lord, and just work to accomplish your dreams," Coward told ESPN's Monica McNutt. "It's not time to let my shoulders down. It's time to keep the foot on the gas. It's time to keep going."
 
Coward was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of his selection by Portland and will join Coug alumnus Jaylen Wells in Tennessee. Coward became the fourth Coug drafted in the last five years, joining CJ Elleby who was drafted No. 46 overall by the Portland Trailblazers in the 2020 NBA Draft, Gueye at No. 39 in the 2023 Draft, and Wells at No. 39 in last year's Draft.
 
Over his college career, Coward overcame the obstacles of recruitment during the pandemic to land at Division-III Willamette University in Oregon. WSU Head Coach David Riley took notice after Coward was named the conference's freshman of the year, bringing the rising sophomore to Eastern Washington. Coward excelled under Riley's tutelage, grabbing a triple-double as a sophomore before becoming a unanimous All-Big Sky First Team selection by his junior season.
 
The Cougars last garnered picks in three-consecutive drafts when four WSU student-athletes were selected in the 1970, 1971, and 1972 NBA Drafts. At the time there were up to 19 rounds of picks with Rick Erickson selected in 1970, Dennis Hogg and Jim Meredith in 1971, and Dan Steward in 1972. The 1983 NBA Draft featured four Cougar picks, the most in a single draft, including Guy Williams (Washington), Craig Ehlo (Houston), Steve Harriel (Kansas City), and Aaron Haskins (Kansas City).
 
Coward is the 11th Coug to be drafted inside the top 40 and matched Klay Thompson in the 2011 NBA Draft as the highest pick in WSU program history at No. 11.