The Memphis Grizzlies have embraced the rebuild around some of their younger players like Cedric Coward and had been seeking out trades for Ja Morant prior to the 2026 NBA trade deadline. As rumors continue to float around Morant and his future with the franchise, Coward wants everyone to know exactly what the Grizzlies point guard is really like.
Speaking with HoopsHype at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Cedric Coward was asked about the perception Ja Morant has around the league and what it's actually like to be around him.
It's safe to say that Coward didn't hold back.
“Yeah, it depends what people think about him,” Cedric Coward told HoopsHype. “If you want to say all the negative connotations about him, you're dead wrong and you need to keep your thoughts to yourself. Ja is one of the best people I've ever met. One of the best people to be around. He's the same way, goofy – we quote movies all the time. I mean, he's always cracking jokes.”
Ja Morant and his leadership was called out by head coach Tuomas Iisalo in early November 2025 and was suspended one game due to what the team called, “conduct detrimental to the team.” Morant has wanted to remain a member of the Grizzlies, and has stayed professional throughout the process.
Coward continued to explain how great of a teammate Morant has been to him.
“What people portray him to be is not what he is. He'll take care of you in terms of like, when we had the ice storm, he offered to buy my groceries, just little things like that he doesn't have to do, but he does out of the kindness of his own heart and just taking care of people, just because that's who he is. That's like his nature. And then at the same time, he's just a great person to be around. Like I tell people all the time, he's one of the people I'd bring to my cookout, you know, and you'd be like, “Hey man, come on through.” You know what I'm saying? And everybody would love him.”
In 48 appearances thus far this season, Cedric Coward has averaged 13.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 34 percent from three.
Ja Morant has struggled to stay on the court this season, playing in just 20 games this season. He's averaged 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.0 steal per game in a career-low 28.5 minutes per game.
