WSU fans have taken their fair share of gut punches over the past year. From the Pac-12’s implosion to watching star players like John Mateer, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Buddah Al-Uqdah walk away for big NIL money in the transfer portal, it’s been a rough stretch in Pullman. But just when you think the emotional toll couldn’t get any heavier, a new dagger might be looming—Cedric Coward in purple and gold.
Let’s be clear: Cedric Coward has every right to explore his options. The transfer portal exists for a reason, and players only get a few short years to shape their careers. But if Coward chooses to leave the Cougars for their biggest in-state rivals, it wouldn’t just be a tough loss on the court. It would be a morale killer, the kind that leaves scars.
Coward gave WSU a star on the court. Although he only made it through six games before his season-ending injury, it felt like Coward had earned the respect of Wazzu fans. Coward is clearly an NBA prospect and has the potential to be a great professional basketball player. It makes sense for him to be considering schools such as Florida, Duke and Alabama. Those are massive schools with huge exposure and the ability to pay handsomely. But Washington? Why?
The Huskies are coming off a season in which they fell to the bottom of the Big 10. New head coach Danny Sprinkle underperformed and UW failed to qualify for the Big 10 tournament. Washington has never been a traditional basketball powerhouse, and there is a real argument that WSU has a stronger program both at the moment and long-term than the Huskies.
The only thing Washington’s program can do that WSU’s can not is pay players millions of dollars. For WSU, NIL deals for basketball might never exceed seven figures, but Washington can afford to do it. It’s the only feasible reason why Coward, a native of Fresno, California, would want to transfer to play in Seattle. At Washington, he’d be playing for a bad team, in a strong BIG 10 and would struggle attracting attention from the media. But he’d be making the bag.
Would Coward really transfer to WSU’s biggest rival for money when he has options like Duke and Florida, teams who finished the season ranked first and fourth overall?
Imagine the Wazzu fanbase watching Coward trot out at Alaska Airlines Arena next season in front of a Dawg Pack crowd. Imagine the social media reactions, the message boards, the recruitment pitches from UW telling other prospects, “Hey, even WSU’s best want to be here.”
Linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah made the move from WSU to UW in December, but losing Coward to the Huskies would be an even greater blow. Coward is not just a good player. He is a star.
It would not be just another transfer—it would be a symbolic betrayal in the eyes of fans. A high-profile player flipping to the school that’s always loomed large over Wazzu, the school that gets more money, more media love and now, potentially, more of our stars. It confirms the fear that WSU is just a stepping stone—something Riley is working hard to change.
This is not about hate for Coward. It is about heartbreak. If Coward goes to Florida, Duke or Alabama, he will have earned my respect. But a move to Washington would leave me confused, and would leave Wazzu fans in sadness.
