Cole Swider showed off his talent during the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League, suggesting he could become another gem found by the Los Angeles Lakers among undrafted free agents.
The Lakers quickly found Swider to be an intriguing prospect during his pre-draft workout, inviting the Syracuse alum back for another practice session. Then, they signed him to a two-way contract when he became an undrafted free agent, tying him down not for one but two years, an unusual length for that type of deal.
Later in Vegas, Swider was one of just two high-volume shooters who averaged seven or more 3-point attempts per game and converted at least 50% of them. He finished the tournament with 15.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists through five games.
And, likely to take advantage of his rising stock, the 23-year-old has announced he will start a podcast with a former Syracuse teammate, set to premiere on Sept. 15:
Super Excited to start a podcast with my old teammate and great friend @PaddyCasey31 . Can’t wait to give an inside look on many players and coaches throughout basketball. First Episode Coming soon! 🤝 https://t.co/iBHamjwBkq
— Cole Swider (@coleswider21) September 8, 2022
Podcasting is a growing trend among retired and active professional athletes. Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green is arguably the NBA’s leading podcaster — as he hopped behind the mic even between 2022 NBA Finals games against the Boston Celtics.
During the same postseason, LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma joked they should start a Mannigcast-like NBA show. Kuzma seemingly enjoys casually talking all things sports as he appeared on Green’s podcast not long ago, discussing how the “Showtime” Lakers would fare in today’s NBA.
Beverley to collaborate with Barstool Sports on new NBA podcast
Swider won’t be the only podcaster on the 2022-23 Lakers roster. Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy announced last month that Patrick Beverley will collaborate with his media platform on a new podcast, launching later this fall.
Beverley’s propensity for trash-talking is well-documented so the show is likely to attract a sizable audience. The 34-year-old’s takes made a splash earlier this year when the guard appeared on ESPN, tearing into Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul.
Barstool used soundbites from that memorable cameo in a trailer for Beverley’s new show with the video garnering over a million views on Twitter. “We now own what will be the most entertaining NBA podcast in America,” Portnoy wrote in a tweet promoting Beverley’s podcast.
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