The journey from Division III reached its pinnacle when Coward opened his NBA career with flawless 5-of-5 shooting against the Pelicans on October 22, 2025. His first points came through pure effort—stealing the ball and racing coast-to-coast for a tough finish through contact. The energy never stopped as he grabbed boards, attacked in transition, caught alley-oops from Jaylen Wells, and delivered a clutch late block. Finishing with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block and a team-high +24 in 22 minutes, the Fresno native's performance validated Memphis trading up to grab him 11th overall. His unprecedented path began at Willamette University, climbed through Eastern Washington where he followed coach David Riley, then to Washington State. The 6'6" wing with a 7'2" wingspan made believers of everyone in his perfect debut. · Oct 23, 2025