The Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t pull it off. After a 1-3 start, their Vegas Summer League playoff hopes vanished. And Friday night’s final exhibition game against the Denver Nuggets only added salt to the wound, a flat-out flop. But amid the wreckage, one name stood out like a beacon: Cole Swider. While the team struggled, he showed up. All summer long, Swider’s been L.A.’s brightest spot, quietly turning heads and forcing a second look.
And that momentum carried into this one. Cole Swider came out firing, sinking his first five shots and racking up 14 points in the opening quarter alone. Though he cooled off as the game wore on, he still finished with 17 points, six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block on 6-of-15 shooting. And that’s why curiosity around Swider’s game is spilling into his personal life. From his roots to his religion and nationality, this article breaks down everything you need to know about the Lakers’ rising mystery man.
What is Cole Swider’s Ethnicity?
Cole Swider was raised in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and sharpened his game at St. Andrew’s School. By his junior year, he was already turning heads, averaging 26.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, and earning the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year honor. As a senior, he upped the ante, dropping 31 points per game and making his reputation as one of the top high school prospects in the region. Naturally, the offers rolled in. He ultimately committed to Villanova, choosing the Wildcats over heavyweights like Syracuse, Xavier, and Duke.
But Swider’s basketball roots are more than just his stat sheets. Cole’s parents, Jenny and Jeff Swider, are no strangers to the hoops world, both having athletic ties of their own. The Swider family is confirmed to be of white American descent, with a strong Catholic background rooted in Rhode Island. While they’ve kept their ancestral heritage private, it’s known that Cole was raised in a faith-driven household. In fact, as part of their Catholic tradition, he regularly attended Episcopal services each Sunday.
What is Cole Swider’s Religion?
While there are subtle hints about South Bay Lakers star Cole Swider’s background, like his father’s Catholic roots. But there’s still no confirmed public information about Cole’s personal religious beliefs. His interviews, player profiles, and official bios have been silent on the topic. Even though he grew up in a Catholic-influenced household and reportedly attended Episcopal services as part of his upbringing, Swider himself has never openly discussed his faith. So, as it stands, any assumption about his religious views would be purely speculative.
What is Cole Swider’s Nationality?
Cole Swider was born on May 8, 1999, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, United States. He wasn’t on many radars when he declared for the NBA Draft in 2022. Since then, he’s played on a two-way contract with the Lakers in 2022, spent time with the Heat in 2023, joined the Detroit Pistons in 2024, had a brief 10-day stint with the Raptors in 2025, and is now back on the Lakers’ Summer League roster. As a native of Rhode Island and a lifelong resident of the U.S., Cole Swider holds American citizenship. So yes, his nationality is officially American.
The post What Is Cole Swider’s Ethnicity? Everything You Need to Know About Ex-Raptor’s Religion and Nationality appeared first on EssentiallySports.