<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-cedric-coward-origin-story-channels-kobe-bryant-spirit');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward origin story channels Kobe Bryant’s spirit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Grizzlies-news-How-Kobe-Bryant-forged-Cedric-Cowards-basketball-historian-life.jpg"></figure><h1>How Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward origin story channels Kobe Bryant’s spirit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-07T18:40:48-07:00">October 7th, 6:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-07T18:40:48-07:00">October 7th, 6:40pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The path from casual fan to professional basketball player often begins with a spark of inspiration, and for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-cedric-coward-shares-best-thing-ever-injury-update">Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward</a>, that spark was ignited by the late, great Kobe Bryant. However, the 22-year-old’s basketball journey didn’t start on a court. His hoops curiosity was actually piqued on a couch, sitting beside his grandfather, absorbing the game through the lens of Los Angeles Lakers basketball and a shared passion for the Mamba Mentality.</p><p>“Well, ever since I was young I’ve been gravitating towards sports,” Coward told ClutchPoints. “Me and my grandpa used to watch games when I was really young. I grew up a Lakers fan and my favorite guy was (Kobe Bryant).”</p><p>Those formative years watching Bryant’s relentless pursuit of excellence left an indelible mark. Coward even hoped to honor his idol through his jersey number, though the basketball gods had other plans.</p><p>“It’s kind of funny that I’m wearing 23,” began Coward, “but (Cam Spencer) had 24, so that was gone and then (Jaren Jackson Jr.) got 8.”</p><p>Still, while the number 23 evokes memories of basketball greats like Michael Jordan and LeBron James, Bryant’s influence looms largest in Coward’s story. Channeling Kobe’s spirit is about more than a number. For Coward, it was about adopting the “Mamba Mentality” of relentless curiosity and a deep, historical appreciation for the craft. The Hall of Famer’s game was the gateway, but it opened up a universe of basketball history for the rookie to explore.</p><p>“Ultimately, that’s how I fell in love with the game was watching (Kobe Bryant) and watching the Lakers. And then, honestly, from just watching them I gravitated to more of just all-around basketball,” Coward explained. “It was finding out who the best players were like LeBron. Then it was going back in time to like Magic and Kareem. Even Jerry West and guys before that like Wilt, Pete Maravich, and all those guys.”</p><p>This evolution from fan to student of the game mirrors Bryant’s own approach to basketball. Kobe was famously obsessive about studying the greats who came before him, from Michael Jordan to Oscar Robertson, mining their moves and mindsets for anything that could elevate his craft. Coward has adopted that same intellectual hunger.</p><p>“I’m a basketball historian just cause I love the game so much,” Coard stated. “I will say that I take that with me everywhere. Even though I’m a historian and none of that stuff has to do with actual on-court activities, that love of the game is why I do it. You know what I mean. Like I know we get paid a lot of money to do this, but at the same time, I’d play the game for free cause that’s how much I love it.”</p><p>That final declaration about playing for free because of his pure love for basketball is perhaps the most Kobe-esque sentiment of all. Bryant’s legacy wasn’t built solely on championships and accolades, but on an unwavering passion that made basketball feel less like a job and more like a calling.</p><p>As Coward embarks on his NBA career, the California native carries with him the spirit of the player who first made him fall in love with the game. He may be wearing No. 23 instead of 8 or 24, but the Mamba Mentality that blends passion, knowledge, and relentless dedication lives on in the<a href="https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/mar/06/inside-wsu-wing-cedric-cowards-injury-recovery-and/#:~:text=PULLMAN%20%E2%80%94%20Cedric%20Coward%20turned%20the,an%20extended%20amount%20of%20time." rel="noopener"> rookie’s approach to basketball.</a></p><p>From grandfather’s living room to the FedExForum, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/why-grizzlies-see-giannis-antetokounmpo-potential-cedric-coward-2025-nba-draft">Cedric Coward’s journey proves that inspiration</a> can echo across generations, shaping not just how players perform, but why they play at all.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward origin story channels Kobe Bryant’s spirit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-cedric-coward-shares-best-thing-ever-injury-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward shares ‘best thing ever’ amid huge injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Memphis-Grizzlies-forward-Cedric-Coward.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward shares ‘best thing ever’ amid huge injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-20T17:51:49-07:00">September 20th, 5:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-20T17:51:49-07:00">September 20th, 5:51pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies underwent a lot of changes since 2025 began. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-meet-interim-head-coach-tuomas-iisalo">Tuomas Iisalo took over as Memphis’ head coach</a> just before the playoffs began. The Grizzlies followed up a first round loss by trading Desmond Bane away. However, there is optimism around the newest addition to a roster built around Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. Cedric Coward is back and ready to go.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-memphis-cedric-coward-no-11-pick-trade-blazers">Memphis drafted Coward at No. 11 pick in this year’s NBA Draft</a>. The former Washington Cougar had a lot of injury worries heading into the draft and did not play in NBA Summer League. Despite the lack of film, the Grizzlies decided to take a chance on him. According to Memphis Commercial Appeal writer Damichael Cole, Coward is fully healthy and <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/nba/grizzlies/2025/09/20/cedric-coward-injury-update-memphis-grizzlies-shoulder-surgery/86193530007/" rel="noopener">excited to start working</a>.</p><p>“That’s the best thing ever. I haven’t played live competition since November,” Coward said. “For me, I do it every day now that I can. I don’t have to hold anything back. I don’t got people telling me to take a break and stuff. It’s like letting the wolves out. That’s what it is.”</p><p>Coward is back and ready to attack training camp in Memphis. However, the team looks drastically different than when he joined the roster during the draft. Despite the changes, the team’s stars remain the same. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-finalizing-massive-240-million-max-contract-extension">Jackson Jr. earned a large extension</a>, pairing him with Morant as the Grizzlies’ stars in their long-term plans.</p><p>In addition to the big names on its roster, Memphis has the tools to develop into a scary team in the Western Conference. Zach Edey showed a lot of potential in his first year with the Grizzlies. Him, Jaylen Wells, and Coward represent the future role players who can help Morant and Jackson Jr. go on deep playoff runs.</p><p>Coward is fully healthy and ready to earn his minutes. If he is who Memphis thought he could be at the draft, its rebuild could last far shorter than many think.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
16.5	3.8	2.3	0.5	1.3

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
16.5	3.8	2.3	0.5	1.3

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