Cole Swider - The Journey To The NBA, Learning From Lebron James, and Embracing The Process

Welcome back to the Casey Adams Show. Today, I am joined by Cole Swider. Thank you so much for coming on, Cole.

Hey, no doubt, man. Appreciate you having me on.

Of course. No, we. We met, I want to say, like, three, four months ago at the Chargers game. And ever since I followed you, it's been epic. Just seeing all your content, the recent podcast and more. So just understanding your story. I know we have some mutual friends, Jordan from Super Coffee and everything, but excited to dive in today, man.

Yeah, man. Yeah, it's been. It's been crazy. It's been a crazy last couple years. And, yeah, I know Jordan from Liddy. When I was 14 years old, I met Jordan.

Oh, my God.

So we've gone back and forth on Instagram and text and everything like that, but it's. It's cool to see, like, another young guy, another guy come up in the industry. So. Yeah.

So how long have you been playing with the Lakers now?

So it's my. It's my rookie year. Yeah. So last year, I graduated from Syracuse University, and after the draft, got picked up by the Lakers and moved with them ever since.

Yeah, because I know you were. You transferred to Syracuse from Villanova.

Correct?

Basketball. Right. Like, this has been your entire life. Where did this passion for the game even come from? And when did you realize, like, all right, I'm going to. I'm going to go down this path and, you know, see how far I can go and aspire to be in the NBA. Like, where did this passion begin?

Yeah. So, I mean, it starts off with my parents. My dad's 6, 8, my mom's 6, 3. So the genes are there. My dad played. My dad played at Fordham University. My mom played at University of New Hampshire. So two Division one program.

Wow.

And from the day I was born, my dad kind of put the ball in my hands. Right. So my parents actually started the youth basketball league in town when I was in second grade. So they kind of gave me, like, this access to the gym.

Wow.

The ability to play against my friends. And my dad always played me up. Right. So when I was in second grade, I was playing as fourth and fifth graders, when I was in third grade, playing as fifth and sixth graders. So kind of just developed a love for the game. And when I realized I loved the game, it was after my third grade season. I started crying because I was just so sad. Basketball season was over. I didn't want to play baseball. Like, I remember. I remember I was begging my dad, like, please let me play AAU basketball, because AAU Basketball started in the spring and I'd be able to keep on playing. So I remember it was funny. I remember my. He had to convince my mom, right? So I have three little siblings. I got all of them downstairs in the basement so they could have a quiet dinner. And my dad introduced the idea of me playing AU to my mom. Oh my God. So ever since then, I just fell in love with it. I pride myself being a hard worker. And yeah, ever since then I've just kind of just followed my dream and chased it.

That's crazy. I mean, just hearing that too. It's like from the genes to growing up with the ball in your hand pretty much. It's so cool to even understand that, right? Because it's like a natural gift that your parents are obviously great at and instilled those qualities into you when you talk about playing other sports. Did you play any other sports growing up or was it like you tried different things, but you just always knew basketball was the main thing?

Yeah, so I played baseball. I played baseball up until like my 8th grade year. I had one year on the big field, and then after that I was done. And then I played football up until my freshman year of high school. So, okay, I was a three sport athlete, but I knew basketball was always like my route that I wanted to go.

What was it since you're playing football?

I was a wide receiver. I was, I was like a DM when I was younger than. I got skinny, so I was like a corner and then. And baseball as a pitcher and a first baseman.

Epic. Man. I. I grew up an athlete myself. I'm not, you know, the. My mom's five foot, my dad's five, five, seven, so I didn't have that natural height ability in a sense. But I played hockey for 10 years growing up, picked up a stick when I was three years old, then played lacrosse. And then in high school, I was playing football. And that's actually how I got into this whole world of business. And podcasting was sort of by accident where I got injured playing football. I was in sophomore. I ended up getting diagnosed with inner spine, knees, ligament damage. So I was in a neck brace for six months after a hit, literally like the first hitting practice of the year. Got injured, could never play football again. And that's just for me when I had to go a completely different direction in life. And, you know, I had the goals and the dreams to go to college, play lacrosse and like, had that ambition, but I had to then channel it differently. And, you know, looking back, it's been the biggest blessing in disguise. But it's so cool to hear stories of, you know, people that have that. That mission and actually do it, because it's a very small percentage of people that not only go to college to play sports, but go to D1, but then actually get drafted to a league, whether that's an, you know, NFL, NBA. For you, when you were going to college to Villanova initially, what was that transitionary process, like, from high school to college and, like, what were some of the key moments in your life that you remember from that. That time?

Yeah, I mean, for me, going to college was a big step, right? Like, a lot of guys, people from where I'm from, I'm from a small state of Rhode island, right? So there was one guy that I knew that went in. Went on to play high major college basketball from where I was from. His name was Andrew Shravitz. He was a great player at Butler University. But after that, there was, like, no one.

Wow. So you didn't really have many, like, people from your town or anything that you could be like, oh, look at that. They did it.

Exactly. So when I come into Villanova, I was down to Duke, Syracuse, Xavier, Villanova. When I committed to Villanova, it was a big deal in my town. I was a top 50 player in the country. I mean, in my mind, you know, like, in everything, right? Like, there's obstacles, there's the journey, there's all these different things. There's adversity that you face along the line. But in my mind, I was like, shoot, I'm gonna be here for two years and then. And then go to the NBA. But when I got there, I realized, like, I was a small fish again. You know, I went from being the best player in my state, one of the best players in New England, one of the best players in the country, to now I'm a freshman on a program that just won a national championship, just sent four players in the NBA. So I kind of had to restart. Restart from where I was.

And when did you realize that, like, you obviously have these. These thoughts of what college ball will be like. When did you realize, like, okay, like, small fish, big pond again. And you gotta level up in a sense, and grow as a player.

Honestly, it was probably my first practice. My first practice, we had two guys who end up going to the NBA or we have more than that, but Eric Pascal, who was on the warriors and then Utah Jazz, he's out of the league right now. He'll probably get back in. And then we Had Sadiq Bay, who's on the Pistons right now, and they were a lot more physical than me. They kind of fit the style of basketball that Villanova wanted to play. It's a defensive oriented program, all about strength and toughness and out toughen people. And it kind of. It kind of showed me that I wasn't ready, ready physically. And those guys were physically ready and kicking my ass every single day. So right then and there, I kind of realized, like, I have to reset. And it really humbled me that first year because everyone goes from, oh, you're the best, you're gonna make the NBA, you're doing this and that, to now. It's like, like I'm not even getting off the bench.

Yeah. Wow.

So I'm. I'm playing seven minutes a game, I break my hand. I'm out for 16 games.

And after you broke your hand?

After I broke my hand. So it was that freshman year, my freshman year, y.

That happen.

We were in practice, I was going for a steal, hit my hand the wrong way, broke, broke this, this bone right here. So, oh my God, everything just kind of restarted. For me.

That's. I mean, even just like briefly touching on my story, like getting injured, what did that do for you mentally? Because, like, for me, and I feel like as any athlete, getting injured is just the worst case scenario. You don't know what it's going to lead to. It's going to affect your playing long term. What was that injury like? And like, what was that experience throughout those 16 weeks? And how did you think about it? Because I know, like, we can go over like, oh, I got injured, I got this. But like, I want to dive into that because I think. I'm sure it was a huge deal in the moment and it probably affected how you think and just your day to day life, obviously.

Yeah, I mean, my, My freshman year was a tough year, just in general. Right. Like, I was. I was transitioning from not being home for the first time, being away from my family. My family was still coming to games, but I wasn't. I wouldn't say that year I was particularly close to anyone on the team. So I was kind of finding myself again. Right. And when I broke my hand, it was like, all right, now I can't even go out there. I was just starting to like, play better after struggling the first, like 15 games and then I break my hand. I'm basically out for the season. So during that time, I really got to find myself of who I was and I got to grow. So I wasn't able to put in the work every single day on the court, but I was able to work on my mental. I started getting into my faith. I really started to realize who I was as a person. And being 19 years old and kind of experiencing like to me it was failure. Right. Like I looked at it as like.

The worst case scenario because of the injury specifically.

Well, just the way I was playing, the situation I was in, going from the top 35 players.

Yeah, like that's such a mental roller coaster, I'm sure.

So like I know this now, but comparison is the thief of joy. But I see guys who I was better than in high school, going in the NBA, being a first round pick, like a guy who was ranked lower than me on my team, coming in and taking my spot.

Yeah.

And kind of like the, these, this ever. This ever revolving these things happening to me. And yeah, I stay consistent with the work, but it was tough mentally.

Absolutely. When you talk about, for me just the last really like six months, I've been doing a lot of things that have I say, like sharpened my mind where obviously I got the cold plunge outside. I've been doing that every day. I ran my first marathon in December. And like, I didn't grow up a runner. I never really strived to run long distance. But for me it was such a mental battle of not only going the distance, but just beating a time and, and also going the distance and knowing that, hey, I'm capable of doing that. And for me, I interviewed this guy, his name's James Lawrence. He ran 101 Ironmans back to back over the course of 101 days. And when I interviewed him, he talked about this simple idea of embracing the suck and doing the hard things. Because in life you're gonna suffer through whether that's mental challenges, physical challenges. And when you talk about this first season, you had to sharpen your mental. What did that look like for you and what were some of the things that you did to sharpen your mental as you continue to grow as an athlete?

Yeah. I want to say that year I particularly had the right outlets for dealing with those things. Right. So my sophomore year, I started out the year great. I started getting into my faith. I realized these things. But my faith has been something that has grown on me over time. Just just believing God's plan, reading the scripture, just just trying to do the right things in order to. That. But my sophomore year, I started playing really well. I was starting. We. We were top 10 team in the country.

Yep.

And then I lost my spot again. And as the season went on, I started getting less and less minutes. And I'm playing for a Hall of Fame coach at the time, Jay Wright, who. You can't really question what he says, because it's like, he. He's won two national championships the last three years. He's. He's done all these things. So for me, it was like, all right, how do I help myself going into my junior year? Because the COVID shutdown happens right at the end of our season.

Yeah. That is such a crazy time in history to be an athlete. When you look at those four years and the time, what did that look like? And what was that journey for you? I mean, you and the people you're playing with. That's never happened before in sports history the way it did. What was that journey like?

So we're literally getting ready to play in the Big east tournament. We're in New York City, and we're getting, like. We really go through our walkthrough and all these things. And literally, on espn, it just says, like, the NBA shut down their season. So we're thinking, like, I remember that.

Was like, the first indicator of, like, oh, things are really shutting down.

Yeah. So the NBA shuts down their season, and our games are still scheduled to play. So we're like, all right, like, maybe we won't have any fans. The night before they had fans, it was like, this crazy, like. Like, my grandparents were coming up to watch the games and everything like that. And so, yeah, we're literally getting ready to go to the arena. We're having lunch as a team, having a team meeting, going over the scouting report. We're playing at DePaul. We're playing DePaul University that night, and our coach comes in. He's like, hey, like, they're going to start this game, but after this game, they're going to cancel the Big east tournament. They're probably going to cancel the NCAA tournament. So at that time, we're a top 10 team. We have national championship aspirations. Wow. We have guys who are projected NBA picks who. Who are playing the last seniors who are playing the last college game. And we have to deal with the fact that we're not going to play anymore. Wow. So we get back, and they cancel the NCAA tournament. Our season is over.

That's crazy.

And at that time, like, our coach was like, hey, like, we're gonna take, like, a week off. We'll be back. We'll be back playing.

Yeah.

And then it ends up being six months till we even get back on campus to start practicing again. But during that time, like, my dad introduced me to this book called the Mindful Athlete. And George Mumford, I don't know if you've ever heard of him, but he worked with Michael Jordan. He worked with Kobe Bryant. He was close with Phil Jackson. That's when I started really getting into meditation.

And I didn't know you were into meditation like that.

Yeah, yeah. So I started getting into meditation, and that's when I really started to sharpen my mind and find these things that could help me. Because when I got back to Villanova, I wanted to be the best possible version of myself, mentally, physically, emotionally, and give myself the best chance to have a big year.

Wow. What. So that book, prior to reading that, did you ever meditate? Or were you, like, in that world at all of, like, taking time, mindfulness, or was that, like, a whole introduction to it?

Yeah, it was. I think naturally, as an athlete, you put a lot of pressure on yourself, but, sure, I was that kid. Nine years old, on the mound. My teammate makes a mistake. I'm crying. You know what I mean? I've always been so competitive. Like, yeah, I didn't make a All Star team when I was nine years. I was the best player in the whole entire Little League, but I didn't make the All Star team because the coach wanted to teach me a lesson of, like, you can't overreact. You can't cry. You can't do this and that. I remember my dad being. My dad's still mad about it to this day. How this guy kind of.

When did you know that he. It was a lesson that he wanted to teach you? Did he tell you years later, or was it just like, you know.

Yeah, it was one of those things where it's like, it could have been handled differently. Right. And my parents still have a grudge towards it. But it was one of those things where it was just, like, I was so competitive and so, like, get worked up over me throwing a bad pitch or this and that. So, like, I went to, like, this sports psychologist when I was, like, 10 years old, and we talked about breathing through the stomach. So I had that kind of introduction to meditation. But as I got older, I didn't have the tears, but I would have the anxiety of performing, especially when I got to college, because in high school, like, you're better than. You're better than a lot of guys. I'm six, nine. I was dribbling the ball, doing all those things. So I never really had to deal with, like, the, the failure. Once I got to college, I realized that failure. And I'm the hardest working player on the team. I'm eating the best, I'm getting an extra lift, and I'm still not seeing those results. So I start. That's when I really started to meditate. Because it's like, I want to be present in the moment when I get my opportunity, like, totally. And yeah, man. So that's kind of how my meditation really started. And my dad introduced me to that book. It showed me, like, all right, Michael Jordan, the best player ever, used to meditate before games. Kobe Bryant, he made it a part of his routine every single day to meditate. So those things would keep these guys present and keep them because they have all these anxieties about performing well and everything like that too, but they're able to be present and be in the moment.

Yeah, I mean, I'm sure I. I've gone through ebbs and flows of, you know, going months, meditating every day, and then going through times where I, I get off my game. And it makes a huge difference in my life. Like being just taking. Whether that's 60 seconds or 10, 15 minutes and being present. Yeah, for me, it completely shifts, like how you think about your day, how you react to certain situations. And you know, I think just even while I was training for my marathon from a physical aspect, the guy I interviewed, James Lawrence, was just talked about being present and focusing on that next step in front of you. Right. Like, you can only truly focus on that if you're. And you can't overthink about the outcome of the game or the outcome of the event for you. Do you notice yourself when, let's say, you do a bad play or you mess up? How do you react to those situations now versus, you know, back in the day when you didn't have this like, mental sharpness of meditation and being present and being able to move on and, you know, just be adaptable in situations.

Well, I think the biggest part of meditating and being in the moment is realizing, like, you're still gonna have days where you don't have that mental sharpness. Right. And I think for me now is I realize it faster. So, like, certain things, like no coffee on game days helps me because I really, I get jittery. Right. So I re like, I figured that out last year.

It's like, good thing they got super energy. Right?

Exactly, exactly. Things like super energy now, that's great. But. But yeah, like no coffee on game days. Like, I Take calm gummies. Some days before game days, I'm feeling extra jittery. Like, there's certain things like that where along with my meditation, I've kind of found this routine. Right. So I feel like when I play my best, I'm in the moment, I'm doing these things and. And I don't react to simple plays. Right. Like, you want to control everything you can control on the court. There's nine other guys out there. You know what I mean? Like, you can't control everything that goes on on the court. Like, you might not touch the ball for four or five possessions. Like, you might be angry, but at the end of the day, like, you being angry in the moment is not going to help your team or yourself be successful. Right. So it's finding ways to be in the moment, try and make the right play, do everything you can to prepare yourself for that moment, and that ultimately gives me the peace to go out there and play. Am I perfect? No. I still have games. I'm upset, I'm angry, but I can realize that. Right. My dad always says the first step of getting better is realizing so powerful. So, yeah, man. I think for me, it's just. It's an ever. It's an ever evolving thing for me. I still have a lot of room to grow. I'm proud of the steps that I've made, but I'm ever evolving.

Yeah, no, that's super powerful. And just to pivot the conversation a little bit, you're 23, right?

Yeah.

You're 23. You play for the Lakers. It's your rookie season, like, just four years ago, you know, this, for you was a dream, right? How has it been for your rookie season, and what does this transition looked like in your life? And I just want to talk about it, right? Like, the day you got the call, actually being at the. The first game, the first practice, like, what has. What has your experience been with the Lakers so far? And just give us a rundown of the last year of your life.

Yeah. So it kind of goes back to after my junior year at Villanova. I decided to transfer to Syracuse for my last year. And at that time, everyone had kind of counted me out for the NBA, right? I had the size, I had the skill, but I hadn't played major minutes. I hadn't really started yet. So after that year, I decided my family and I decided that the best option for me would be to transfer. So going into the Portal, I just literally just left everything up to God. And I realized that Syracuse was the Best fit for me to kind of going that path. And I started the season off at Syracuse. Knock. I was playing a lot of minutes for the first time. I started off not great. My first. I say this all the time. Like, in basketball, I'm a three point shooter. I started. And everything's based off of percentages, right? So being a good three point shooter is like 40%. I start off the season like three for 25, like 12% from three. So I. I had to climb myself out of this hole of kind of starting the season off bad.

And this is at Syracuse.

This is at Syracuse my senior year. And I just kept climbing and climbing and just like, keep on sharpening my mind. I had this really great coach at Syracuse named Demetrius Nichols. He was all into meditation, working hard, doing the right things. He would get me in the gym at night, in the morning. He actually went to my high school as well, so.

Wow. Rhode island man.

Jordan DeCicco. He went to the same high school as me and Jordan, so.

Wow.

Yeah, man. So like, just climbed myself out of that whole getting better. As the season went on, I just felt like I was getting better and better and better. And with the COVID year, I could have gone back for a fifth year. And with nil.

Oh, wow.

I probably could have made a lot of money, but my college coach was like, hey, like, you did what you needed to do. Like, this is your best chance to make the NBA. And at that time, I. I wasn't. I wasn't touted on anything.

Going back another year, was it, like, clear that what your coach said was the right decision and the right path?

No, I was. Because that was the first time I really got to play. And I love the feeling of playing and having an impact on the game and everything like that. So I did debate going back, but ultimately I knew leaving was. Yeah, leaving was going to give me the best opportunity to make my dream come true. So I go into the draft process. And the draft process is brutal. Like you.

Yeah, because I, I, obviously, I'm familiar with. I grew up an athlete, but I would love for you to just dive into that process because, I mean, people like me that love sports, that watch sports, but might not know exactly the draft process. I'd love to dive into that.

Yeah. So the draft process starts literally right after your season. So I was still trying to graduate at the time, so. Oh, my teachers like, all right, you can't finish these classes because you have to leave for the draft. So. Wow. So now.

Crazy.

Yeah, so. So that. That's that's the, like from a, from a. My mom was big on me getting my degree as, as any mom or parents would be. So that was the first thing I kind of took away. Took away from that. But then after, right after the season, I flew out to Santa Barbara, signed my agent, Niko Flopovich of BDA Sports. They have Luka Doncic, DeAndre, Miles Turner. They have all these, they have all these big time guys. And then after that, I'm in Santa Barbara training for, for a month, just trying to get ready for all these pre draft workouts. And then all these teams host pre draft workouts. So like, for example, I'll go to Boston one day, then I'll go to Atlanta the next day and I'll go to LA.

Wow.

So I did 14 pre draft workouts. I got invited back to three teams. So this is just traveling all around the country, like on commercial flights.

Yeah. Putting in the work, showing up.

Yeah, exactly. And, and during that time, I was really able to make a name for myself. I got to play against guys who maybe had better college seasons than me, put myself in position on draft, not to feel comfortable that I was going to go to a team.

Yeah.

So that, that was, that was, that was a grind. I remember.

How long is that process? Like, when you're going from city to.

City to city, Draft workouts probably start around May 1, but the bulk of the workouts start in June 1, June 1 to June 23. Because on June 1, those are all the guys who are going to stay in the draft.

Yep.

So from June 1 to June 23, I probably had 10 workouts and I was in five cities in six days. So that process was brutal. Yeah, I was, I was exhausted. And every single time, it's like having a job inter five job interviews in six days.

And this isn't just like, hey, this is my resume. You are on the court working now. Like it's hardcore. This is like the physical challenge.

And all these guys are trying to accomplish their dreams.

So it's like not even just these guys, like peak performers in this category, the top 0.01% that you're competing with, like, this is. That's crazy.

Yeah. So. So that process was, was wild and. But through. Throughout the whole entire workout process, I was, I was playing well. I was mentally sharp, I was reading, I was doing all these things. I was, I was so locked in, in the moment that. And I was so determined to prove myself because I felt like I'd been slighted in so many ways. Like I said I didn't get to play for my first three years. I was angry about that. I got to play my last year, got to show what I could do. Now people were saying I'm not going to get drafted, I'm not getting picked up by a team. So it's like, all right, now I'm just even.

It's game time.

Yeah. I'm just more and more motivated just to do my thing. So after that, the draft comes. I work out with the Lakers, the Hawks and the Bucks twice. So usually when you do that, you're in a pretty good position with those.

When you, when they call you back.

Exactly.

For sure.

So I work out with the Lakers June 21st.

So this is when you say June 21st this year ago.

Yeah.

Wow. Last June.

Last June. Yeah, last June. So that's so recent. Yeah. So June 23rd is the draft and I, I have a draft party at my house, not knowing if anything's gonna happen. But I only have like my close. It's probably 50, 60 people there. Yeah, they're all like in Rhode Island. Yeah, in Rhode Island. Yeah. It's like my AU coach from seventh grade, like all like the closest people to me because I knew that even if nothing happened that like it was a celebration of the next step. Right. So, yeah, the first round goes by, I don't get selected, which is which I knew what was going to happen. Second round is going by and then I get a call from my agent, he's like, LA Lakers, I want you for a two way contract. Like, let's do it. I'm like, yeah, like I'm in.

Oh my God.

In that moment I just like broke down crying. My dad came over to me. I'm every. Like, we have a cool house. And it had gone from a year before of like not being on anybody's radar, being counted out. Three years of really not playing and being behind guys and not knowing if I'm even gonna make it to overseas to. Now I'm with my favorite player of all time, LeBron James, and get that opportunity. So that whole night was just such a dream.

I want to go back to that moment. Sorry to cut you off, but that moment when you get the call, like, how do you describe that feeling when you see. You don't know what this is going to say or what team, but like, what were you feeling if you had to reflect on that and express just that moment?

Yeah, I've really talked about it as much because it's just one of those feelings that you Don't. You can't really describe because I was just so in the moment of being there with my family and all my loved ones and like I'd known what I had gone through to get to that point and for it to come true. It just showed me that, I mean, in your field, you could, you could, you could aspire to this as well. But I've never seen someone really, really work hard, do all the right things. Ha. Sharpen their mind, sharpen their body, all these physical, like, putting their body through everything and, and not see some sort of success. Right. And that just affirmed to me, it was like if you're spiritual or not. Right. If you put the work and you put the time and you, you, you do everything that you can, like, your dreams will most likely come true. Right.

There's a quote I love. It's hard work works.

Yeah, exactly.

It's. It's the truth. So you get the call, Lakers want you. What do the next 30, 60, 90 days of your life look like from that moment last June?

Yeah. So I got a call from the gm, Rob Pelinka, I got a call from the coach, and basically they're saying, we'll see you in 48 hours. So. Oh my God. I celebrate my family that night. I hang out my friends the next day because I've just been through a brutal draft process. Right.

Yeah.

So I come out to la and the next process in the NBA is NBA Summer League for rookies and guys who are trying to make the NBA now, Right?

Yep.

So we start practicing for summer league. Summer league. We, we play in San Francisco. Three games in San Francisco. Then we go to Vegas for five games over a three weeks. Over a three week stretch. So I get out to la, my parents come with me. They get to see the facility they like. And you know, this area's dream come true. Right. Like, yeah, it's.

Did you come to LA a lot growing up?

No, no, I don't even to California once and.

Wow. Prior to getting drafted, even here once.

Yeah. Well, I'd been out here in Santa Barbara working.

Yeah.

In la, like for these workouts. But I'd been, I've been to LA once and I thought it was. I was in Calabasas working out at Sports Academy.

Yeah.

And I thought that was la. I know I had no comprehension of like where it was for sure. So. Yeah. So my fit. Excuse me. My family came out here with me, my mom and dad, and it was just like an amazing experience. So we're just working out, we're training, we're just getting ready for summer league and I honestly had an amazing summer league. I did all the things I wanted to do, was shooting the ball at a really high level and kind of cemented myself as a person within the Lakers organization that they valued, right. And then got to go home for two weeks after that. Came back August 1st. And then we start working these, these preseason workouts. So I'm working out for like five weeks and then we, we start having our preseason MRIs, like preseason physicals. And I get a call like a week before training camp starts. I'm killing it. I'm having these, these great workouts, everything like that. And I get a call from our team trainees like, hey, you have a stress reaction in your foot. So I have a stress and I have no pain, right? So I'm killing it. I'm playing well. Like, I have my friends visiting out here with me. I'm showing them around la. It's just like a dream come true. Everything's going right. And then kind of have like another setback, right? So I sit out like a week and a half, I'm able to play. And then they basically tell me, it's like, hey, we're going to re image you in a month and we'll see how it goes. So I didn't have the best preseason. I played okay in preseason, but didn't, didn't play the best. And then they called me back at the end of preseason was like, hey, like, we want you to get another mri. Got another mri. And then they basically told me, you're gonna be out for 10 weeks after that.

Wow.

So I, I got back from my injury about a month ago.

Okay.

So I've been working my way back into shape and, and I got some time on the Lakers a little bit, but right when you think, you know what I mean, everything's going well. Like, yeah, man, adversity, always, adversity is always, is always there, right? Yeah. It's something that you can't avoid. But I've just come, I've become a lot better in my faith, in my, in my believing of knowing that putting the work, you do all the right things, you eat right, you sleep right, pray and do all these things, like things will work out. So yeah, man, I'm just, just back to grinding back healthy and right now.

Like you're, you're feeling great. Things are all like, you're healed and everything right now.

Yeah. Yeah. So. So I've been back in the lineup with my contract. I got to rehab with the G league team and come back up with the Lakers. And we're kind of going back and forth just, just based on where the team is right now. But I mean, it's been a great experience, man. I just being able to learn from you guys.

How's it been, you know, like, you know, working with players like LeBron and like the Lakers overall, like, what is, what has that experience been like? And more importantly, like, what have you learned from this experience when it comes to hard work, discipline, and just working with a top tier team like the Lakers?

Yeah. I think the biggest thing is the knowledge of the game. Right. Because obviously LeBron puts in the work on his body, his mental, everything like that. But to really have an underst, like you're in the top one point, like you said,.01%. There's only been 4,000 guys who ever played in the NBA, period.

I know that stat ever in the.

History of 4,000, like 4,500, something like that. Like you're part of the top 510 players in the world.

Yeah.

So obviously that's an honor. That's an honor in itself. But just being around LeBron and Russ and AD and just seeing how they think the game. Right. And that's what really separates them because there's been a lot of athletic guys, there's been a lot of guys who have the physical talent, but for them to take care of the body the way they do, to watch the film, to be with the coaches, to be able to make their teammates better, it's been an amazing experience. And it's honestly opened my eyes to what I could possibly be in the future as I continue to evolve. Do I have the physical talents that they have? I mean, no one does.

Right.

But, but the things I could do to enhance myself and get better and get as close as possible as I can physically, and then from the mental side, be on a whole different level mentally, that's what I'm striving to be.

I love that have you like when it comes to the interactions with, with different players in the team, just what does like teamwork look like for the Lakers, for you? And how do you describe the, the team aspect of what it is you guys do together?

Yeah, I think the team aspect is something that evolves over time. Right. It's one of those things that you've played in sports and you know how, how the season, like you're all going through it together.

Right.

And the wins, the losses, the good times, the bad times, it just makes you Closer throughout. Like, we've evolved into being, I think, a pretty close team. And LeBron is such a, such a great leader of men. Like, even when he's talking to you, he knows how to react with or talk to each person on the team, right? So he might talk to this person differently than he talks to this person. And every great leader I've been around has been able to do that. For example, I told a story on my podcast, but we're playing against the Mavericks. Luka Donchi is one of the best players in the world. He's an absolute magician with the ball. But when he gets on the left wing, he has a certain movie goes to and, and, and we all knew that in the scouting report. So I get mashed up on Luke on the left wing. He does, he does that move. He does a step back. I'm right here in his face. He makes the shot. Ah. Two plays later, one of our other rookies, Max Christie, who's had, who's had a great year, he gets matched up on Luka. Luka does the same move, step back, makes the same shot. So our coach calls a timeout. LeBron's like, rookies, you guys are playing hard as shit right now, but you got to lock it on the scouting report. You got to know those things. Like, we don't care if he does some other things, but just don't mess up on that play. And for him to, for him to stop and be like, you guys are playing hard, yeah, but you just got to be mentally a little bit more focused. Like, he didn't, he could have just yelled at us. He could have, you know what I mean? But he was able to be in the moment, realize that we're young, we're trying our best, we're doing all the things that we can, but just, just be that one second better that that point. Like, millisecond better.

That's powerful from like a leadership perspective.

Oh, it's unbelievable. And also like, as a leader, like, he gets on guys who he knows is gonna, is gonna respond and he, if he didn't care, if, if he thought that we were just two regular guys who weren't gonna be on the team, then he might not responded like that. But just to have that, that wherewithal, that being in the moment, the being in the now, I mean, it shows you why he's about to be the all time leading scorer ever.

Yeah, that's powerful. I mean, speaking of that, you guys got some big games this week, tomorrow, Thursday. What is that like? Because you know, you can think about this all time leading scorer as a moment, as like a destination for him, but he's been every game. This is a buildup of the last. However, how many seasons has he been in the league? 20. Right?

20 season.

20 seasons of a build up, like from being on the team. Is this even something that he even thinks about or is it just another day where he's like, oh, this is like how not even him specifically, but this is a big week. Right. He's going to break the record. How do you think? As someone that's on his team, how does that make him feel? Is it like this great or is it just another day?

Man, he's been so locked in on the present. I mean, he's talked about in certain interviews. I mean, we've talked about a little bit here and there, like, thinks he can play another like four or five years, like legit. He's like, as long as my mind's sharp.

Yeah.

He's like, I've done all the things that physically, like he thinks he put so I think he's just so locked in on the moment and he hasn't let that pressure get to him. Right? Like, yep, he's 36 points away right now. He could easily score 45 points tomorrow and it could result in us maybe losing because he's trying to get the record. Yeah, he would never do that to the team. He's such a team first guy and he's 38, playing back to backs and traveling from city to city and trying to sacrifice so we can make the playoffs so we can be in a position to contend for a championship. And I don't know, it's just like so impressive the things that he does to take care of his body, be in the best shape. And I know I keep saying it but like, just like how mentally sharp he is to not put that pressure on anyone else. Of like, oh, the scoring title's coming up. I need to score 45. Like, he does whatever the team needs. If like, for example, like on his 38th birthday, we're playing, it's Atlanta, AD's out, he goes out there and scores 47 for us and we win the game. Like he has that knowledge of knowing, all right, like tonight needs to score 47, but the next game I might only need to score 25 and get AD involved and get this guy involved. So he feels confident going to the next game. Yeah, like, it's just unbelievable how he's broken down the game and being able to. He can get Any shot in the court he wants. He can make any pass he wants. Like, he's just such a present individual.

Wow, that's so, so cool to hear that from your perspective. Like as someone that's a rookie that's learning these things in real time. Just hearing you talk about that, like, it's so different than just, you know, maybe listening to him in an interview, but someone that's in his presence, that's learning from like being there with him and with the team. It's very, it's such a cool perspective. Couple more questions before we wrap up. Cole, I know you, you hinted at a little bit during the podcast, but you yourself, you have a podcast. I've had a podcast for five years. Love the industry. It's so fun. When did the, the podcast come up into your, in your world and you know, what led to you starting it?

Yeah, so in college, I mean, I had two friends, we always talk about starting a podcast. We're joking around, a group chat. Like, we, we just thought of the idea and, and guys like JJ Redick and Duncan Robinson, they have these very successful podcasts. And.

Yep.

I mean, being a white shooter and kind of like, kind of falling into that role, I always thought it was very interesting. So I was actually with the Lakers in August. I was, I was out here doing preseason workouts, playing well, doing all these things, but I was working out from like 7am to 1pm Doing everything I could from massages to getting up extra shots, being in the gym early and trying to beat LeBron in the gym and doing all these things to. Now it's 1pm probably not smart to go back to the gym for another three hours. And because you have an 82 game season coming up. I have a stress reaction. Yeah, I got a stress reaction. Right. So I called one of my friends one day. I was really bored and I was like, hey, like, what do you think about the podcast now? Like, he's working in New York City. He has a, he has a full time job. I was, but I was like, this would be a great thing for me to kind of have on the side. It's not a lot of pressure, right? Like, it's work.

Yeah.

I mean, you got to put work into it. But, but it's not a lot of pressure in terms of like performing. Like, I can, I can relax talking to my friends and my other friends in the NBA and all these things like that. So we started the podcast just off, just off of like, I was bored and, and I was really interested in the industry, and it's led to some great conversations. I've gotten better throughout the time of podcasting.

Love it.

It's def. It's definitely a different being on the other side of being a producer role or the interviewer in the podcast. Right. I'd go on. I'd gone on podcast before. Before. But really getting into these researches of even my friends. Right. Yeah, it's absolutely. It's been a really fun process and interviewing some of my teammates with the Lakers and recently signed with Blue Wire, which is a big step for us.

And that's so awesome. I. I've been with Blue Wire for over a year now, and I love Kevin, the whole team. They're so good.

Yeah. Yeah, they've been great to us. I mean, we just signed with them, like, three weeks ago, and.

Oh, wow. Very reason.

Yeah. So, like, even our viewership's gone up, and they've even plugged us in with a couple guys that we can. We can interview in the future and.

Epic.

We'd love to have you on the podcast sometime soon.

Let's do it. Let's do it. For sure. Do you guys record in the studio as well?

No. So we actually. We're on Zoom right now.

Okay.

My friend actually works in New York City. He's actually out here in L. A now. But, yeah, we've just been doing over Zoom, and.

Okay.

We have a couple of things planned. Doing live episodes in Vegas. Yeah, in Vegas. Yeah. So I'm obviously there for. For two weeks for summer league. Anyways, so bringing the guys out and trying to interview some of my friends.

Or some guys out there, their studio is gnarly. I went back last year. I think I went like, six times, like, every other month.

Wow.

Then I'm going in April and May. I'm gonna have Jordan on the show again. I've had Jordan on the show, like, two times. Yeah. Keep bringing them back. You know, they're always building and growing.

Oh, big time.

I mean.

Yeah, he's done amazing. It's funny. Like.

Yeah, I want to talk about that, too, because, like, before we wrap up, I. Jordan DeCicco.

Yeah.

We've been friends for years. He's been on the podcast twice. I've had his brother Jake on the show. I think twice as well. And he's staying with me, and he's like, oh, my God. I've known Cole since high school. Like, how did that relationship start?

Yeah. So I. I was one of those kids that. The high school that he went to, I would go and just play Open gym with those guys, right? I was from 30 minutes away and I was looking at the school as a potential school I was going to. So they had a great team at the time. They had a guy who ended up going to Notre Dame, they had a guy who ended up going to Pittsburgh. And Jordan was a really good player at the time. And Jordan's actually famous for, at St. Andrews, he's always kind of had that business mindset. He was selling burgers out of his dorm room just to make it, just to make some money on the side. Like, he's like, he's like, he's famous for that, right? So after that they stopped letting people sell burgers and everything like that. They stopped all that stuff. But. But yeah, no, ever since then, me and Jordan have kept in contact. He went to Philly U for a year, which Division 2 basketball school he was playing really well. And then he decided to start, start this, his own business. And we always, like, Coach Hart, our high school coach, always talks about Jordan and we've kept in contact because we're both young guys who work really hard and kind of have these things in common. So.

That's so cool. That's epic. When I heard the connection there, I was like, that's so epic.

Yeah.

Two more questions before we wrap up. Just, you know, as you said, less than 4, 000 people have ever been in the NBA. The top like 510 in the world in terms of like the athletes currently in the league.

Yeah.

What, like, what do you have to say to your younger self that had this idea, this goal, these aspirations to be in the league? Like when it comes to a piece of advice that you'd give your younger self.

Yeah, man, I would just say just work hard and believe. I mean, obviously things have to go in your favor to, to get to a certain point, right? I mean, my dad being 6 8, my mom being 6 3, I get to be 69 and, and have that blessing. Right. But I would tell my younger self adversity is going to hit. Just keep going, be positive and just, just trust the plan. Right. Even now I'm not in a, not a situation where I've signed a five year guaranteed contract. And yeah, so like I haven't really sat back and been in the moment and been like, oh shoot, like you're, you're where you want to be because I'm not, I still want to go farther in the game. Right? But I was talking to my dad and like my dad ended up quitting his sophomore year of college. Of basketball. And it was always like that. Like, regret for him. It's like what he could have been, right?

Yep.

So our dream was always for me to make us the NBA, and there was times at Villanova where I didn't know if I was gonna make it there. So kind of having that moment with him after I got that call was like, all right. Like, we did it. Right? And so that's kind of my only kind of moment. I've said I've sat back, but. But, yeah, I would just. I would just tell all kids who were aspiring, like, I'm from Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Like, I'm from a very small. I'm from the smallest state in the country. Like, put your head down, do the right things. People are going to doubt you, even in your own hometown. Right. Like, people are going to say, you can't do this and that, but just keep dreaming.

I love it, man. That's powerful. And last question. And you're talking about it briefly now, but just looking into the future, what are you excited about? What keeps you dialed in and, you know, where can people continue to follow along your journey?

Yeah, I think just. I feel I can get so much better. Right. Like, whenever there's a point that you can get better and you're not in your prime and you can just keep climbing, I. I'm excited for that, and I'm excited for the process. Right. I think. I think.

I love that. Excited for the process when.

When you're a successful person. I mean, I've. I've tried to. Every single person that I've seen try to be. I've tried to get. Get close to them. What makes you successful? Right. And it's the things that other people don't want to do, and it's the process. Right. Like, for example, like, tonight, I'm gonna go back to the gym and work out, because I love the process of me shooting the gym. Does that. Does that mean I'm gonna have 40 points next game? No, but it's. It's constantly chipping away at what I can be in the future, because I know. And some days it might be resting is the best thing for me to do. Some days it might be stretching and doing those things, but I'm excited for the process of me getting there. And it's gonna include hardships, gonna include adversity. And sometimes, like, when. When you're shooting well and you're playing well and everything's going right, that's easy. Like, any. Anyone could be a front runner.

Right.

But when adversity hits. When you get a stress reaction, when you're missing shots and you're not playing well, when everyone says you stink, I kind of look forward to those moments because now I get to reset and I get to. I get to prove people wrong again. Right. So.

Yep. Well, there's. There's a guy I had in the podcast. His name's Trevor Moad, and he was the. The brain trainer for Russell Wilson in the NFL.

Wow.

And he. He sadly passed away just over a year and a half ago. But his quote that I. I always think about, like, when I. And I just popped in my mind is, pressure is a privilege.

Yeah.

And that's what he always said to different players that he worked with in the NFL, because it's like, when you have that pressure of, you know, things that keep going well, you want to level up your career, like, that's a privilege. And you gotta. You gotta take that and run with it, because everything you're living now was once a dream, once a thought. And now that you have this pressure to get better, to, you know, be in the league for X amount of years, like, you got to really take advantage of that pressure.

It's like, who. Who would have thought that I was gonna be playing with LeBron James a year ago? And I. And I have the pressure of playing with LeBron, right?

Yeah, for sure.

That's something that, like, I could only dream about, and to be, like, present in the moment and, like, all right, like, I need to do this and that, and then, like, don't even. Like, the pressure is like, Damian Lillard had a great, great quote one time. He was like, pressure is you're on the street with your family, you have kids, and you need to find a way to feed them. Like, I'm in the NBA playing with LeBron and make a lot of money and get to do and get to live out my dream. Like, yeah, there's certain pressures that come with it, but when you step back and realize it, it's not real pressure.

Yeah. I love that. Well, Cole, I just want to say thank you so much for coming on the show today. Where's the best place for everyone to follow you to listen to the podcast and just stay in touch with you throughout your journey?

So it's called the Cold Sweater Show. We're on all platforms. And yeah, Cole Sweater on Instagram. Cole Sweater21 on Twitter. And yeah, man, just email. Email us@sweatershowmail.com follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Sweatershow. And yeah, man, me and my co host, Patty. Casey. We, we're more of a basketball podcast and. But, but we've had our fair share of people come on. Intellects. And so love that. Yeah, man, it's been, it's been a great experience and I'm excited. I'm excited to continue grow and watch you continue to grow as well. Casey, thank you for having me, man.

Of course. Thank you so much, Cole. And for everyone watching or listening, I will make sure to link everything down below. So make sure you go follow Cole. Check them out on all platforms. And thank you so much for tuning in today. I'll talk to you guys soon.