The Duke basketball program is one of just three teams that haven’t lost a player to the transfer portal this offseason. However, the Blue Devils also haven’t added any new players yet. That could change soon, as On3’s Joe Tipton has issued an expert prediction that Duke is in a strong position to land top transfer guard Cedric Coward from Washington State.
Coward is currently weighing his options between Duke and Alabama.
Although Coward has emphasized that his primary goal is preparing for the 2025 NBA Draft, he plans to commit to either the Blue Devils or the Crimson Tide if he chooses to return to college basketball for the 2025–26 season.
Landing Coward would be a major boost for Duke, giving them a dynamic starting guard to pair with Caleb Foster and significantly strengthening their backcourt depth.
The Blue Devils have already retained Foster, Isaiah Evans, and Darren Harris for next season. Foster provides experience at point guard, while Evans and Harris bring elite perimeter shooting off the bench. Adding Coward’s scoring ability would give Duke one of the top backcourts in the country heading into 2025–26.
Coward, a 6’6″ guard, only appeared in six games for Washington State last season due to injury but showcased impressive talent, averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. He shot 55.7% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.
Originally from Fresno, California, Coward began his college career at Division III Willamette University before transferring to Eastern Washington for two seasons.
According to the On3 Transfer Portal Industry Rankings, Coward is rated the No. 21 overall transfer and the No. 8 shooting guard, and he’s ranked as the sixth-best available player in the portal.
Head coach Jon Scheyer had great success in the portal last year, adding impact players like Sion James, Mason Gillis, and Maliq Brown. With no transfer additions so far this offseason, bringing in Coward would be a huge move for Duke.
Still, even if Coward commits to Duke, he is expected to thoroughly explore his NBA Draft prospects before making a final decision about playing for the Blue Devils.