Cole Swider Compares Jay Wright and Jim Boeheim
All Syracuse caught up with new Syracuse forward Cole Swider to discuss the upcoming season.
Q: What was behind your decision to transfer to Syracuse from Villanova?
Swider: I think overall it was my comfort and wanting to play this last year or two in a program where I feel like I can be myself. Coming to Syracuse, I was on the court for three days and I knew it was a perfect place for me, just from the experience I had with them in high school. What they were telling me, the guys that were leaving, it was an easy choice for me just to continue my career here.
Q: You went from one legendary coach in Jay Wright to another in Jim Boeheim. Have you noticed any differences or similarities in how they coach?
Swider: They’re a lot different, but at the end of the day, the principles and the things that they preach are pretty similar. If you wanna be a tough player, you gotta play hard. You gotta do all the right things in terms of eating, in terms of sleeping, making sure you’re putting in the work and doing things that other people don’t want to do. I think systematically they are different; obviously the man [compared] to the zone, the way the offense is run is different. Overall, in terms of lifestyle, in terms of what they demand out of you every day, it's been pretty similar. It’s been great playing for both of these guys.
Q: You are 6’9, but your three-point shooting improved every year at Villanova. At this point, are you an interior scorer or an outside shooter?
Swider: I mean, that’s one of the things I wanted to do. Come in here, and see if I can be both. Being 6’9, I have the advantage of taking little guys into the post, and then taking big guys out to the perimeter, being able to dribble the ball. I worked out with the guards all summer. I was able to improve my guard skills, my footwork, and I think this year I’ll be able to show I can score the ball in multiple areas.
Q: What about Syracuse made them a good fit for you on and off the court?
Swider: On the court, the way they play. Obviously, watching Buddy and seeing how they use shooters, seeing how they let their players be free and play with confidence and swagger. I think just overall the fit was great. Off the court, overall just being around these guys showed it was a great fit for me.
