Cedric Coward's impressive rookie season has made him the face of the Memphis Grizzlies' new era, with his impressive stats and versatility making him a key player for the team. When he is on the floor, he makes Memphis better on both ends of the floor. His efficiency rating is the best on the Grizzlies for anyone that has played at least 300 minutes this season, and among the best in the NBA. He scores the ball efficiently, he defends multiple positions, and he has shown flashes of growing ability as a creator of offense with the ball in his hands. When he can put all that ability together in one sequence? It pops off the screen. And while you cannot be sure he WILL be the next Kawhi Leonard, you certainly cannot definitely say he will not be either. That intrigue is intoxicating. For a Memphis team that desperately needs things to look forward to in these down times, the pursuit of what Cedric Coward can be exactly is exactly what the Grizzlies should be investing in at this point of the process. And for all the dominance of Zach Edey in a very limited sample size this season, it is Coward that has both the minutes advantage and the versatility to be better suited in the modern NBA to carry the mantra of the team's true "star" - even if that burden will be shared between multiple players. Be it Coward, Edey, or whoever Memphis selects in the 2026 NBA Draft. When you hear Cedric Coward speak, he immediately gets your attention. It's not just his deep voice - it's the confidence that echoes behind it. He definitively defends Ja Morant. He accepts responsibility when times get tough. On and on you can go if you look long enough for examples of Coward not shying away from the attention that comes with being an NBA player. That matters in a market like Memphis that just lost that "face of the franchise" player in Jaren Jackson Jr. Coward can fill the void left behind in terms of speaking out on behalf of the team, be it with fans or for his teammates. He has been through so much to get to this place - from Division III basketball to the NBA. And he's not done yet. He's still growing, still learning, and still pushing himself to be the best player he can be. And that's what makes him so exciting to watch. He's a player who is constantly improving, constantly adapting, and constantly pushing himself to be better. And that's what makes him the face of the Memphis Grizzlies' new era. He's the leader, the star, and the future of the team. And he's just getting started.