Michigan Basketball: Cole Swider Plans U-M Visit, Will Likely Get Offer
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New Michigan target Cole Swider is having a big spring, and it’s led to many new offers and much more interest. Swider recently trimmed his list to eight schools, and U-M made the cut despite being a recent addition.
Villanova, Xavier and Creighton have been recruiting him longest, but if he decides to stay home so his family can see him play, he said he’d go to Providence. Indiana, Syracuse and Miami made his top eight, and Michigan “might be the best possible fit,” he told Rivals.com last week.
He reiterated that sentiment May 22.
“My coaches, all the people around me say I just fit their style of play well,” Swider said. “They’ve watched me play a bunch this spring.”
Swider is averaging 19.8 points through three NIKE EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League Sessions), shooting 47.1 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from long range. He’s also shooting 82.9 percent from the free throw line.
But his scoring isn’t the only thing intriguing about him, and U-M coaches have told him as much. He’s also averaging 5.5 rebounds per game and can put the ball on the floor and score.
“I’ve been talking mostly to Coach [John] Beilein, also to Coach [Jeff] Meyer,” Swider said. “They like my shooting ability, but my ability to make plays, as well. I fit their style of play to a ‘T,’ and that’s what everyone is telling me.”
Swider hasn’t just arrived on the scene, noting he played some of his best basketball at St. Andrew’s during his high school season. He’s emerged as a must-get for many programs, Rivals.com’s Eric Bossi said.
“He’s not just pretty good, but really good, actually,” Bossi said. “You see what a guy can do when he gets to be featured more, get a sense of how good he is … and he’s looked really good.
“He can shoot it, and that’s kind of what people are noticing him for, but he has a complete all around game. I think he is that stretch combo guy teams want so badly now. He fits the direction, and there’s no question he’s be a really good fit at Michigan. He’s not quite as big as D.J. Wilson, but he could play that same role.”
Swider doesn't have a visit date set up, and the only schools on his list he has yet to see are Indiana and Michigan. He plans to take some official visits and decide in the fall, and Michigan is scheduled to be one of them.
“In addition to basketball it’s a great academic school, one of the top public universities in the country,” Swider said. “And Coach Beilein is just a great dude.”
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