Draymond Green Praises Grizzlies Rookie; Compares Him to Kawhi Leonard

In the 2025 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies used their No. 11 overall selection on Cedric Coward, a very talented guard with high upside. Early in his career, he's impressing plenty of people, finding his way into the rotation as a potential long-term replacement for Desmond Bane, a player the team traded in the summer. 

Through 15 games, Coward is averaging 14 points a night on 41% from beyond the arc and 48% shooting overall, bringing the intensity on both ends of the floor. In fact, that defensive intensity is something that fits so well with this organization, with Warriors star Draymond Green taking notice, comparing him to a young Kawhi Leonard.

His instincts on the defensive end at just 22-years of age have impressed a lot of people, and with the ability to shoot from deep and handle the ball, the Grizzlies may have found themselves a star of the future. Obviously, he's just a handful of games into his career, so there's still plenty of improving to be done, but if he can build on this raw potential, the Grizzlies have a key piece moving forward alongside Ja Morant, Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr.

There's still plenty of work to be done on Coward's game, but right now he sits fairly high in the NBA's Rookie of the Year race, and if he can keep improving the way we've seen already, not only will he compete for that title, but he'll be a crucial part of Memphis' future.