Abe Schwadron

This story appears in SLAM 261. Get your copy here. If patience is a virtue, then Cedric Coward is a virtuoso. Coward is tearing it up for the Memphis Grizzlies as a rookie, averaging 13.3 ppg (behind only Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe among rooks) and 6.2 rpg. He should land a spot on the All-Rookie First Team, and will get some darkhorse love for Rookie of the Year come season’s end, too.

For three decades we’ve covered many amazing basketball characters, but some stand above the rest—not only because of their on-court skills (though those are always relevant), but because of how they influenced and continue to influence basketball culture, and thus influenced SLAM. Meanwhile, SLAM has also changed those players’ lives in various ways, as we’ve documented their careers with classic covers, legendary photos, amazing stories, compelling videos and more.