Loved that interview! I hated Swanigan for knocking out my Cyclones in the NCAA tournament, but he was a stud in that game. Rebounding translates to the NBA, so does toughness. I'm excited to see what he can do. I hope @BonesJones has to eat some crow in the future
I couldn't place who he reminded me of in that post-draft interview, but it came to me after a night of sleep: the kid from The Hurricane. We need a fighter and someone who can inspire others to fight.
He should be commended for his work hard and over coming the odds and his story is heart warming and inspiring, but are we now drafting guys based on who have the saddest stories or basketball ability? Is this American Idol/The Voice and I missed the memo?
I posted a video before the draft. Swanigan got his lunch handed to him by Deonte Burton (picked up by the Twolves for summer league) in the Purdue vs. Iowa State NCAA 2nd round game. It was pretty bad, but Burton is a rare college athlete. So Swanigan does have a lot of work to do on the defensive end, but that can come with hard work and toughness, which he seems to have.
Biggie's guardian is going to be on RipCityRadio 620 in a few minutes. https://www.iheart.com/live/rip-cit...air_cover&cid=/onair/rip-city-mornings-56071/
The thing no one understands is that rebounding is part of defense. Your defensive possession doesn't end until your team gets the ball.
There is no arguing that, but hard work and effort can help to overcome/hide deficiencies in a players game. Hopefully, Swanigan can make up for his lack of foot speed in other areas and won't be exposed as bad. As long as he stays motivated and is hungry, I think he is gonna be a nice player for us.