For those who aren't sure what to think of our 26th pick, give the article a read and watch the clips included. Swanigan is EVERYTHING we've been missing from our big men. His defense needs to improve, but the dude has skills that are proven to translate to the NBA from college (effort, rebounding, shooting, etc.) https://theringer.com/caleb-swanigan-purdue-boilermakers-college-basketball-825f665c2969
The more I read about Swanigan the more I'm convinced he's going to be the steal of the draft. His motor and attitude are top notch, I have a good feeling Dame is going to latch on to him real quick. I love the fact that he gets his jumpshot off quick but more importantly it goes in! His defense definitely needs work but he's 20 years old and has time to learn. He should take Leonard's rotation spot from the beginning.
Not really convinced by this article and videos. They show him getting a offensive rebound where the other team seems to have no interest in blocking out; then a defensive rebound where two of his teammates do a great job of blocking out, leaving a clear path for him. And then the writer refers to his subpar defense, and we are talking about a college game.
Just one thing about his college career. The Big 10 is usually the best conference in college BB (Top to Bottom.) He was up against a good team pretty much every week. Not saying he is going to be a defense wizard, but to be POY in that league at his age means something.
And after his freshman year, people told him he was overweight, not athletic enough, his shot was lacking, his speed was weak.... And he came back and improved on it all.
Swanigan never stops moving. He is going to wear out many opposing players. Just watching his videos made me tired, and in need of pain killers. Swanigan is a fighting bulldog.
Tim Tebow is known as one of the best college QBs in college football history. It's how his skill set will translate to the next level. He'll be able to rebound because that always translates, but he doesn't seem athletic enough to play defense or really much else. I want him to succeed, but I'm concerned he's a dinosaur
No one will argue with you that there are question marks with Swanigan. I will just say Bell has some of those same question marks. Only difference between the two really is the battle with obesity, and shooting ability.
I think his floor is Jared Sullinger and he could be somewhat close to a Boris Diaw type or perhaps at best a watered down Kevin Love
Sorry to burst your bubble but this guy is not a steal at all. These are facts about Swanigan so don't get your hopes up. I knew pretty much nothing about this guy. So i decided to do some real looking into him. What i found is not good. Not good at all. Yes he overcame adversity and obesity. So there is some hope he can continue to work hard to grow. The obesity problem does worry me. We had another guy that had weight problems named Kevin Duckworth. The difference was Duck was 7 foot tall. This guy is does not have the same body. (6'-9"). The Good is he has some strength and a pretty good wing span at 7'-3". That is about it for physical attributes. He is a good shooter. Again this can always come in handy for a small ball type center. He will have to play center as he doesn't have the foot speed or mobility to guard the 4. He also lacks athletic ability. This kid is pretty much a stump that can shoot. He lacks quickness also. So he won't be making up for lack of overall speed with quick hands and feet to get to position. His vertical jump is 29 inches.... Very underwhelming i know 50+ year olds that can jump better. So don't think that wing span is going to help in the shot blocking area. At this point i'm wondering if he even makes the team??? He scores well around the rim but does not really get offensive rebounds and put backs because he gets beat on the second jump but he is a good rebounder on the defensive side. We see Ed Davis get those hard work points. This kid will not have a motor like that. He also seems to have a turnover problem. turnover rate is 4.1 in 40 mins because he doesn't have real ball handling abilities. He will not create a shot at all and doesn't back a man down in the post. He will look for an open jumper or pass. two dimensional offense leads to turnovers in the NBA. They will eat him alive. This is pretty much the story on the guy "Caleb Swanigan certainly has some limitations from a physical and athletic perspective, but given the strides he has made, and the commitment he has shown to improving his body and skill level, it would not be surprising to see him continue to develop at the professional level. He is not going to be the modern-day rim protector and pick and roll threat that a lot of teams are seeking at the 5, but he will bring a different skill set to a team as a hardworking, physical presence, with a potentially consistent inside and out offensive game. Having just turned 20 in April, he is fairly young for a sophomore and has the potential to develop into a unique NBA player. - Source: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Caleb-Swanigan-71578/ ©DraftExpress Drafting a guy at that spot that has put forth the effort he has might pay off. But this is a huge "Maybe". As much as he has overcome i will be pulling for him to continue to succeed. But giving this guy a spot on this roster is going to take him working his tail off.
I watched a lot of film on this guy for two days and sorry....I disagree completely with this....he plays below the rim...is quicker in my view than you suggest and is an elite rebounder...sure he has to have the game slow down but he's not a 5 or anything like Duckworth and he's never put weight back on since the 8th grade...ballooning weight is not a problem he's struggling with at all...he's lost weight every year of his adult life. I do agree he won't crack the rotation first year but don't sense any of the flags you've put up about him...film I watched had him passing really well. His wingspan is pretty impressive for a 6'9 guy....I don't think either of our rookies will be starting anytime soon
