Will Portsmouth's Cole Swider land in the NBA? Recent workouts suggest there's a chance.
Portsmouth native Cole Swider has been a busy man leading up to Thursday night's NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-9 forward, who played at Portsmouth High School and St. Andrew's School before attending both Villanova and Syracuse, has crisscrossed the country for workouts hosted by numerous teams — including the Lakers, Hawks and Bucks twice — in his quest to draw attention to his game and earn a spot on an NBA roster.
"It's been a grind, but it's been a blessing at the same time, for sure," he told reporters after working out for the Lakers on Tuesday.
Based on mock drafts, Swider is not expected to be one of the 58 players chosen over two rounds of picks, but just the fact three different teams invited him back for a second look raises hopes. His probable path to the NBA may be as an undrafted free agent.
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"I think for me, it's just looking for the best opportunity possible," he said. "If that's getting drafted, going undrafted, I just want an opportunity and be in an organization where they value me, value my skill set and work with me on some of my deficiencies.
"I think the Lakers could be a great fit. There are some other teams around the league that could be a great fit. But ultimately it's just finding the right organization. If that's getting or not drafted, that's up to the teams, but I'm willing to do what it takes to make it in this league."
Swider attended Villanova for three years and averaged 18 minutes, six points and three rebounds a game during his final season (2020-21) with the Wildcats. He entered the transfer portal on March 31, 2021, and announced a few days later his intention to enroll at Syracuse.
The move from the Big East Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference gave Swider even more exposure, and the style of play at Syracuse compared to Villanova favored Swider’s game.
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Swider started all 33 games with the Orange as his minutes nearly doubled. His shooting accuracy improved with more playing time and his numbers climbed accordingly.
He averaged 13.9 points, made 81 3-pointers and shot .411 from behind the arc. He scored a career-high 36 against North Carolina and made 7 of 11 3-point tries in that contest.
"I think the reason why I'm here is because of my shooting," he said. "With my size, and I think my rebounding will translate to the NBA level. I think my shooting will translate immediately. For me, it's all about playing within myself. ... It's about getting into the league and doing what I do well."
Swider had another year of eligibility remaining at Syracuse, but opted to declare for the NBA Draft and hired an agent, Bill Duffy of BDA Sports Management.
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In addition to the Lakers, Hawks and Bucks, he's also been seen by the Celtics, Trail Blazers, Kings, Nets and Wizards. Even if Swider does not get drafted, he could play in the NBA’s summer league.
With his cross country trips over, Swider actually will get a chance to kick back. Mike Waters of Syracuse.com reported that he'll watch the draft at his parents’ home and then see what options present themselves if he doesn't hear his name called.
"Now it's just about talking to my agent, talking to all of the people around me, getting around my family, going home," he said.
"I've been home for one day at a time this whole entire process."
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: NBA Draft: Will Syracuse's Cole Swider of Portsmouth be picked?
