Guard Syla Swords was reminded of the Olympics every time she practiced or played in youth basketball in the Laurentian University gymnasium in Sudbury, Ont. It was hard not to be with her dad Shawn Swords’ Canada jersey, from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, hanging on the gym wall.
“I see it walking in and walking out, so it would be cool to have my own hanging there, too,” said Syla Swords.
The 18-year-old prodigy, headed in the fall as a prize freshman recruit to the NCAA Big Ten University of Michigan Wolverines, will state her case to join her dad as an Olympian when world No. 5 Canada plays No. 46 Portugal tonight at 7 p.m. at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in a pre-Paris Games women’s basketball tune-up match.
“My dad told me just how proud he was to represent Canada at such a high level. That is something he has shared with me about his passion for the game and wearing the Maple Leaf,” said Syla Swords.
“And how surreal it was to be in the opening ceremonies. It’s cool to hear those stories.”
She is among the 15 players who have been working out at CARSA gym on the University of Victoria campus the past week in Canada’s training camp ahead of the Paris Olympics. The four Canadian WNBA players to be added makes 19, which means seven cuts will have to be made before Canada opens against host France next month at Lille in the 2024 Summer Games. Many have tabbed Swords, who has already played through two rounds of Olympic qualifying, in the final 12 for the Canadian roster despite her age. She is that impressive.
“I grew up with an Olympian, so it was not something that seemed impossible,” said Swords, after practice this week at UVic.
Not just any Olympian, but one who played with two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash of Victoria, who captained Canada to a stirring run in the 2000 Sydney Games before a heart-wrenching loss to Tony Parker and France ended the dream of the Olympic podium for Nash and Shawn Swords in the quarter-finals.
Syla Swords plays the same position as Nash did, so he is a particular role model of hers: “My dad and Steve are really close, best friends, and Steve was just an insanely good guard. Everyone wants to be like Steve Nash growing up Canadian. I’ll try my best.”
It is clearly a dream that is going to be realized at some point, Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032, but maybe as early as Paris 2024 next month.
“That would be crazy. I’ve always wanted to be an Olympian but didn’t think it would be this young or that it would be possible this young,” said Swords.
“I still remember watching Nirra Fields, Kayla Alexander and Natalie Achonwa playing on TV in the Olympics. So every time I get to step on the court with them is special. I’m always proud to put on the national-team jersey, whether it be cadets, junior or senior team.”
A strong performance on Blanshard Street tonight could see her off to Paris: “I’m going to put my best foot forward and stay true to who I am and stay true to what the coaches want me to do, and be the best teammate I can be and play the hardest whenever I touch the floor. It’s out of may hands after that. I have trust in the coaching staff that they are going to put Canada in a good place for the Olympics.”
It would be a rather poetic return to her birth country as Swords was born in France when her dad was playing pro basketball there.
