Cedric Coward credits Duke coaches in his transfer decision: 'Made it feel like home'

After entering the Transfer Portal following this season, guard Cedric Coward quickly became one of the most sought-after players available. He’d end up transferring to the Duke Blue Devils where he is looking to make a major impact for the Blue Devils next season.

Coward recently appeared on The Field of 68 to discuss his decision to transfer to Duke. It was a move that he chose to make because of how the coaches, led by Jon Scheyer, made him feel when he was being recruited by them.

“Honestly, Coach Scheyer and the staff made it feel like home,” Cedric Coward said. “Made it feel like it was the place where not only I was needed but kind of like, in a way, I gravitated toward it and I was the best fit. Not only basketball-wise but for the culture and who I am as a person. They value a lot of the same things I value in terms of just people, and especially on the basketball court. The connection I built with them, even though I knew them for a short time, and in continuing to know them, it feels like I’ve known them forever.”

Cedric Coward began his career at Willamette University (DIII), where he spent one season. From there he went to Eastern Washington where he was a standout for two seasons before transferring to Washington State for the 2024-25 season. There, a shoulder injury hampered him, but in the six games he was able to play last season, he played well. Coward averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. That was on 55.7 percent shooting from the field, 40 percent shooting from three-point range, and 83.8 percent from the free-throw line. On the defensive end, he had 1.7 blocks and 0.8 steals per game.

Among the programs to recruit Coward were the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators, Kansas Jayhawks, and Washington Huskies. It was an impressive group. Still, Scheyer and the Blue Devils were able to land the highly sought-after guard. At the time, he had also kept his options open and declared for the NBA Draft.

Per the latest update to On3’s Industry Ranking of 2025’s Top Transfer Portal Players, Coward is a four-star recruit. He is also the 17th-ranked overall and the seventh-ranked shooting guard in this transfer cycle.

The Duke Blue Devils are coming off a Final Four run, the deepest the team has gone under Jon Scheyer. It was a major step forward for the young coach. Now, bringing in players like Cedric Coward is part of how the staff is pushing to take the next step forward.