Syracuse Basketball: If he returned, Cole Swider would provide leadership

The bevy of Syracuse basketball fans is ready to move on from this disappointing 2021-22 campaign and start fresh with a revamped roster heading into the off-season.

Graduate student center Bourama Sidibe will be done on the Hill after this campaign. Orange head coach Jim Boeheim continues to maintain that his sons, senior shooting guard Buddy Boeheim and graduate student forward Jimmy Boeheim, will leave following 2021-22, too.

But what about senior forward Cole Swider? Well, it does seem there may be a possibility, and I truly have no idea how large or small it is, that the 6-foot-9 Swider, a transfer from Villanova, could return to the ‘Cuse in 2022-23 for an optional fifth year granted to college basketball players by the NCAA amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A recent article from Syracuse.com’s Donna Ditota says Swider could come back. Jim Boeheim recently said in a radio interview that if Swider did return, his veteran leadership could be big for the Orange line-up in 2022-23. We’ll have to see how this all plays out.

Syracuse basketball, if Cole Swider doesn’t return, could be pretty young at forward next term.

Now, some of my fellow ‘Cuse fans are not only ready for Boeheim to move along into retirement, but they also want to say goodbye to the Boeheim brothers, Swider and even others like junior point guard Joe Girard III.

I understand that sort of sentiment, even if I don’t agree with it. Swider has been inconsistent throughout 2021-22, but when he’s on, he’s lethal.

Case in point was his 36-point output this past Monday night at North Carolina that basically kept the Orange in this Atlantic Coast Conference clash with the Tar Heels. UNC would, sadly, prevail in overtime though.

Swider is solid on the glass, and I feel that he’s been more aggressive in looking for his own shot in recent games, as compared to much earlier in the 2021-22 stanza. Is he great on defense? No, not really, but can’t that be said about virtually all of the players on the present roster?

As Syracuse basketball (15-15, 9-10) prepared to enter its regular-season finale against Miami on Saturday afternoon in Central New York, ESPN statistics show that Swider is averaging 34.5 minutes, 13.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

He’s also connecting on 44.6 percent from the field, 41.1 percent from 3-point land and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe. In my humble opinion, those are solid numbers.

Assuming Jimmy Boeheim is done on the Hill after 2021-22, in the next term, forwards on the ‘Cuse roster could include redshirt sophomore John Bol Ajak (power forward/center), freshman Benny Williams and incoming freshmen Chris Bunch (small forward), Maliq Brown (power forward) and Peter Carey (power forward/center).

Incoming freshman Justin Taylor, I believe, can also suit up at small forward, although he’s reportedly been recruited by Orange coaches more as a shooting guard to ultimately replace Buddy Boeheim.

So as you can see, that’s a lot of youth and inexperience at forward as Syracuse basketball looks ahead to 2022-23. Cole Swider, despite some flaws, has the ability to light up the scoreboard, and his veteran presence in the line-up would be welcomed by me next season, although I’m sure some of my fellow ‘Cuse fans would prefer him elect not to come back.