Spokesman.com
Cedric Coward's Summer League debut was worth the year-long wait
CEDRIC COWARD FINALLY PLAYED Summer League basketball, and he looked like a guy who's been doing this at a higher level for a year. The former Washington State wing dropped 17 and 10 in Memphis' one-point win over Chicago, and that stat line undersells it. He was the only double-double on the floor in a game featuring the No. 3 and No. 4 picks. That's the kind of night you wait a year for.
Coward missed last summer recovering from the shoulder injury that limited his senior season in Pullman. He spent the actual NBA season finishing fifth in Rookie of the Year voting, starting 47 games for the Grizzlies. Now he's back in Vegas telling reporters the math is simple: six wins for a Summer League title. He wants the whole thing.
Jaylen Wells was watching courtside, which is a nice visual for Coug fans who remember when those two were in the same uniform. For a deeper look at how another former Coug is finding his way in the league, check out our piece on Isaac Jones landing in Detroit after a mid-flight cut.
Coward's got the confidence of a guy who's already proven it. He called his rookie teammate Cam Boozer 18 and said he's glad Boozer's on his side. That's the kind of veteran energy Memphis wants from him. The Grizzlies are running their Summer League defense through him, and he's responding.
One game down. Five to go. Go Cougs.
