Eastern Washington standout Cedric Coward enters transfer portal, to test NBA draft

From staff reports

Eastern Washington standout Cedric Coward, a first-team All-Big Sky Conference pick, has entered the NBA draft as well as the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-6 guard announced his intentions in a social media post late Tuesday, saying he planned to retain his last year of college eligibility.

On Wednesday, backup center Dane Erikstrup also announced he would enter the transfer portal.

Coward and Erikstrup become the fourth and fifth rotation players from EWU to hit the portal since the departure of coach David Riley, who took the same job at Washington State last week.

They join Casey Jones, LeJuan Watts and Ethan Price in the portal. None of the players has announced his intention yet, and it’s likely that Riley will try to lure at least a couple to Pullman for next season as he rebuilds a WSU roster also hit with multiple defections.

Coward averaged 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and shot 56.5% from the floor for the Eagles, who won their second straight Big Sky regular-season title.

Erikstrup, who also has one more season of eligibility, averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

Eastern Washington has yet to name a new coach.