Standing 6-foot-6 with an over 7-foot wingspan, Cedric Coward looks like your quintessential NBA prospect. But if you met him as a senior in high school, it would be hard to believe that he would become a first-round draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. So what changed? A mindset shift and a whole lot of sweat equity.

Falling in Love with the Game

As a sophomore at Central High School, it looked to be over before it even started. He had decided to step away from the game of basketball. He spent the summer going into his junior year, working construction with his grandfather. While working long days in the summer heat, he saw what it meant to do hard, manual work and came to the realization that he still wanted to pursue basketball.

“ That taught me, like one, you’d rather be playing basketball for a living. And two, I didn’t fall out of love with the game. The game was always there, and the love for it was never gone. It was just that the fire needed to be lit again. I just didn’t like the situation I was in. But as soon as I did that, I realized—it doesn’t matter what situation I’m playing in,” he told The Chris Vernon Show.

With a rejuvenated mindset, Coward finished out high school but got no offers to play in college. When asked if he felt angry about the lack of interest from colleges, Coward demonstrated a self-awareness that is far beyond his 21 years of age.

 “There’s a multitude of things I could always complain about—like, “this didn’t go my way” or “that didn’t go my way”—but at the same time, I just wasn’t putting in the work that I needed to.”

Rising Through the Ranks

With no offers coming out of high school, Coward decided to attend Division III Willamette University. It was here that he began to hone his craft on the court and put in the work he felt was missing in high school. The results showed immediately—he averaged just over 19 points as a freshman and was named Freshman of the Year in his Division.

The following year, he transferred to Division II Eastern Washington University. Here, he continued to improve, averaging 15 points per game by his junior year.

Coward would transfer one more time in college and move to the Division I level, playing for Washington State. However, his one season at the highest level of college sports came to an early close when a shoulder injury just six games into the season ended his college career.

The Message

After rehabbing his shoulder, Coward declared for the NBA Draft and was taken with the 11th pick by the Portland Trail Blazers, and subsequently traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on draft night .

Reflecting on his journey during a post-draft interview, he shared this message for the young kids watching at home.

“For all the kids out there that are similar to me hearing my story and where I am today you can keep going if you believe in yourself, have faith in the Lord, and just work to accomplish your dreams.”

Here are two key lessons we can learn from Coward’s journey to the NBA. First, he was honest with himself. Coming out of high school, Coward recognized that he wasn’t putting in the work needed to reach the level he aspired to. Instead of ignoring that truth, he embraced it and took action. He committed to earning the right to play at an elite level.

Second, he made the most of the stage he was in. Coward began high school at just 5’8″ and finished college at 6’6″, thanks to a major growth spurt during his early college years. Rather than trying to jump to Division I before he was ready, he used his time at the Division III and Division II levels to grow into his body physically and improve skill-wise. He didn’t rush the process; he respected it.

If we can have the humility to be honest about where we need to improve and the patience to take full advantage of the stage of life we’re currently in, we too can experience massive growth on the path to our goals.

That’s it for this post! If you liked what you read, follow us on Instagram or Facebook using the buttons above. To help us create more inspiring content, donate by clicking here.