Duke basketball has considerable worry about the increasing NBA Draft status of elite wing

The Blue Devils could be approaching the danger zone with their high-profile move.

Duke basketball’s sole notable transfer this offseason is Washington State guard Cedric Coward. Despite his lack of experience playing against great competition at the Division I level, he has become one of the fastest emerging prospects of the spring.

Coward chose the Blue Devils over Alabama, but there was always one proviso to his chances of playing collegiate basketball next season: he would enter the NBA Draft process.

While some anticipated the 6-foot-6 guard to be selected in the second round and play for the Blue Devils, he is suddenly moving up draft boards only days before the NBA Draft Combine begins.

NBA expert Zach Lowe discussed Coward’s draft prospects on his podcast, The Zach Lowe Show, stating, “They’re all going to be mad that I say the name because they all think they’re the only ones on it, but they’re not.”

“If these scouts are on him like this…” Based on my interactions, I believe he will be taken higher than [No. 29 overall].

Zach Lowe on Cedric Coward

(Via @ZachLowe_NBA’s podcast The Zach Lowe Show) pic.twitter.com/IjrQs9mmLm

— Duke Update (@UpdateDuke) May 9, 2025

Coward played just six games for Washington State last season due to injury, but he began his career at Division III Willamette before transferring to Eastern Washington for two years. He is presently anticipated to be one of Duke’s starting five next season, but the opportunity to play in the NBA may be too tempting.

“The conversations shrunk to a whisper,” Lowe said of his meetings with the league’s front office officials. “They were afraid someone, maybe Zach’s on an Amtrak train and there’s an NBA scout on the Amtrak train that’s going to overhear this conversation.”

Duke has six players invited to the NBA Draft Combine, including freshman wing Isaiah Evans. Evans has proclaimed his decision to return to the Blue Devils but will still audition for clubs.

Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor, and Sion James also received invitations.

The NBA Combine results, as well as Coward and Evans’ individual workouts with clubs, will have the most influence on the Duke basketball summer, determining how Jon Scheyer and his coaching staff should proceed if either, or both, of the players choose to stay in the draft.

Ex-Duke Basketball Signee Suffers Significant Ranking Decline

Since withdrawing from the Duke basketball program a few weeks ago, Shelton Henderson has experienced a decline in his reputation.

In early November, Bellaire High School (Texas) forward Shelton Henderson declared his dedication to Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils. According to 247Sports, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound senior was ranked as the 15th-best prospect in the 2025 class among his peers. In February, he advanced one position to No. 14.

However, Henderson withdrew his commitment to the Blue Devils in mid-April. A few days later, he made a commitment to the Miami Hurricanes, joining the program’s new head coach, Jai Lucas, who departed from the Duke basketball bench at the conclusion of the regular season after serving as one of Scheyer’s top assistants in Durham for three years.

Henderson is no longer considered a five-star prospect by the staff at 247Sports. This week, the site’s final 2025 rankings update has lowered him by 11 spots to No. 25 overall in the cycle. That represents the most significant decline of any player who was in the top 30 before the update.

15 five-star recruits in the FINAL 2025 Top247 Rankings. 🚨

MORE: https://t.co/NRVR2ezlqy pic.twitter.com/AAoeSM3IDX

— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 7, 2025

The cycle currently ranks all three of Duke’s remaining 2025 signees above Shelton Henderson: five-star forward Cameron Boozer, five-star forward Nikolas Khamenia, and four-star guard Cayden Boozer.

The 2025 Blue Devil collection is ranked No. 1 in the ACC and No. 3 in the nation.

MATT GILES

The editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, Matt Giles, is a critical source for comprehensive coverage of these renowned college basketball programs. Matt has been committed to delivering exclusive content, breaking news, and in-depth analysis on all three teams since joining SI in 2022. He addresses a wide range of topics, including recruiting updates, player profiles, and game previews and summaries. Matt’s work has become a go-to resource for admirers and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC due to his expert knowledge of these teams. He is responsible for structuring the editorial direction to guarantee that his audience receives the most pertinent and punctual information in his capacity as publisher.