The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors kicked off the California Classic Summer League.
After a close battle, the Golden State Warriors walked away with a solid 89-94 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Summer League is an incredible opportunity for underrated players to showcase their skills, and that’s what Lakers’ Cole Swider did.
Swider finished the night with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal in 29 minutes of playing time. He also shot an incredible 7-of-10 from the field, including a stunning 6-of-8 from the three-point line.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesCole Swider’s G League stats
Despite having a solid NCAA career with Villanova and Syracuse, Swider went undrafted during the 2022 NBA Draft. As a result, the 26-year-old shifted focus towards the NBA G League.
The 6’9″ forward has spent three years in the G League. He most recently played for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in 13 appearances during the 2024-25 NBA season.
G League Stats2022-232023-242024-25Points17.1 PPG24.9 PPG20.7 PPGRebounds4.8 RPG8.4 RPG5.9 RPGAssists1.8 APG3.1 APG1.8 APG
Being a small forward, Swider has shown stellar scoring and rebounding skills throughout his stint in the G League.
Additionally, Swider is a sniper from the three-point line, never shooting below 43.6% from deep throughout his G League career.
Does Cole Swider deserve a shot in the NBA?
Being a 26-year-old, Swider is entering the prime of his career, and he has had a stunning G League career. However, does he have what it takes to play in the league?
So far, he has been rewarded with a chance to play in the NBA by four teams – the LA Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, and Miami Heat.
While he has played just 35 games over three years, he has failed to impress in the NBA so far. After all, Swider has averaged just 3.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game for his career. This shows the difference in skills between the NBA and the G League.
With the Lakers aiming to compete for the 2026 NBA Championship, they may hand him a two-way contract for the upcoming season. But for that to happen, Swider will have to continue to impress in the Summer League.