Alabama a Finalist for Top Transfer Portal Guard

The Alabama Crimson Tide, head coach Nate Oats, and de facto general manager Preston Murphy have already landed multiple targets out of the transfer portal. Bucknell transfer Noah Williamson committed to the Crimson Tide shortly after the Tide’s departure in the NCAA tournament. Florida State transfer Taylor Bol Bowen committed to the Crimson Tide shortly after, and Miami transfer Jalil Bethea committed to Alabama the next week. Alabama also has three freshmen coming in after signing with the Crimson Tide as members of Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class.

The Tide may not be finished in the transfer portal, however. According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Alabama is one of two schools in the running for Washington State transfer guard Cedric Coward.

Coward, a 6-foot-6, 206-pound guard from Fresno, California, is choosing between the Crimson Tide and the Duke Blue Devils. He is currently in the NBA draft process as well as the transfer portal.

He only played in six games for the Cougars in the 2024-25 season, but started all six, where he averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 55.7 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three-point range. It was his highest career averages when he played more than one game in a season.

His top performance in the 2024-25 season came on November 18 against the Northern Colorado Bears. He scored 30 points while shooting 66.7 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three-point range.

Rothstein reports that after Coward chooses a school, he will still go through the draft process. Coward will have until mid-June to withdraw from the NBA draft should he decide to return to college basketball. He would have one year of eligibility remaining.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men’s basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.