Remembering Caleb Swanigan

We'll get to NBA Draft content and other hoops news, but the death of the Purdue big man at age 25 overshadowed the sport on Tuesday

June 22, 2022

Caleb Swanigan’s death at age 25 of natural causes is a a great reason to stop for a minute and go hug your loved ones. Wednesday’s Field of 68 Daily can wait for a few minutes. When you come back, we’ll have plenty on the NBA Draft and more college hoops news from Tuesday.

THREE POINTERS

1. Caleb Swanigan’s death staggers Purdue hoops

Caleb Swanigan’s two years at Purdue showcased him at his best. He was a force in the paint who scored and grabbed rebounds through his mix of size, skill and relentless will to win games — and hearts. His death at age 25 shook players and fans.

Tributes came from all corners. Whether it was Purdue players such as Jaden Ivey, Trevion Williams and Vincent Edwards, or Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb (who played with Swanigan in the 2015 McDonald’s All-American game), the sentiment was the same: Swanigan was a beloved big dude.

From Purdue coach Matt Painter: “Terribly saddened by this. Biggie had a positive influence in everyone’s life. Was such a thoughtful person and gentle soul who had to overcome so much in his life. He will be greatly missed.”

Swanigan was an Indiana guy. He grew up in Indianapolis, briefly moved to Utah, then starred at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne when he won a state title. This was amid an incredibly rough childhood where his dad battled a cocaine addition, he was homeless, and saw his siblings struggle. Yet, he thrived; he was Mr. Indiana Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American. Then it got better.

Swanigan was an All-Big Ten freshman, then the conference Player of the Year and an All-American as a sophomore. Purdue was 52-48 in the three seasons before his arrival in 2015-16. They surpassed that win total in his two seasons and won the Big Ten in 2017.

Swanigan was drafted by the Blazers and spent three years in the NBA, but hadn’t played in the league since 2020. He was arrested in late 2020 on a drug charge and struggled with his weight the last two years.

2. Odds favor Jabari Smith at No. 1

Paolo Banchero is the safe pick. Chet Holmgren has the most upside. But the public thinks Auburn freshman forward Jabari Smith will be the top pick during Thursday’s NBA Draft.

Courtesy of BetRivers, we’ve got info on the top three choices for the first five picks, starting with Smith at No. 1. Paolo’s right on Chet’s tail (and rising fast). The rest of the top four is what one would expect, though there’s decent money on a few longshot plays.

Player to be drafted No. 1 overall

1. Jabari Smith (-139) — 74.6% money, 35.2% tickets2. Chet Holmgren (+205) — 12.7% money, 21.3% tickets3. Paolo Banchero (+225) — 12.1% money, 34.2% tickets

Player to be drafted No. 2 overall

1. Chet Holmgren (-148) — 42.2% money, 27.3% tickets2. Jabari Smith (+140) — 2.8% money, 1.0% tickets3. Jaden Ivey (+2000) — 55.0% money, 63.6% tickets

Player to be drafted No. 3 overall

1. Paolo Banchero (-455) — 91.6% money, 58.3% tickets2. Chet Holmgren (+650) — 0.4% money, 8.3% tickets3. Jabari Smith (+650) — 2.0% money, 8.3% tickets4. Jaden Ivey (+700) — 6.0% money, 25.1% tickets

Player to be drafted No. 4 overall

1. Jaden Ivey (-167) — 2.5% money, 18.2% tickets2. Keegan Murray (-106) — 78.7% money, 54.5% tickets3. Jeremy Sochan (+9000) — 18.8% money, 27.3% tickets

A Jeremy Sochan sighting in the Top 4! At +9000, guess I understand the value for bettors, but there’s zero chance he’s drafted here.

Player to be drafted No. 5 overall

1. Keegan Murray (+105) — 81.9% money, 28.7% tickets2. Shaedon Sharpe (+350) — 1.7% money, 14.3% tickets3. Benedict Mathurin (+650) — 16.4% money, 57.1% tickets

It’s interesting how strong the consensus is for Murray when Sharpe and Mathurin could easily be in play here.

How does it all officially shake out? Hang with The Field of 68 as Rob Dauster, Randolph Childress, Terrence Oglesby (on vacation in Norway!) and Greg Waddell offer pick insights during our live show Thursday night.

3. Bringing back NYC hoops

New York City prep prospects aren’t a thing anymore. The Kenny Andersons, Stephon Marburys and Pearl Washingtons of today play at basketball academies or prep schools en route to college.

“The Program” is trying to change that.

Griffin Taylor and Jared Effron, with backing from Carmelo Anthony, hope to restore the luster of NYC basketball. They’ve raised about $2.5 million (with about $2.5M to go) and want to open a facility next year in Williamsport or Long Island City with the goal of keeping the talented local players in New York.

“A big reason New York fell off is there just isn’t that many gorgeous gyms in the city because rents are so expensive and they’re used for other things,” Griffin told the Daily News. “We want a facility where kids know they have 24-hour access to basketball and be taught by the best teachers.”

They’d provide online courses (fulfilling NCAA requirements) and have Book Richardson, a former Arizona assistant as head coach. Kenny Smith and JJ Redick are strategic advisors.

PREVIEWING THE NBA DRAFT

Think twice about these five guys

Sean Paul detailed five draft sleepers yesterday, headlined by two Arizona players. Today, he highlights five players that teams might regret taking.

Jaden Hardy — Guard, G-League Ignite

Should a team consider Hardy’s upside? Absolutely. His scoring ability warrants lottery consideration, but he struggled in G-League Ignite. Playing against older professionals, Hardy shot just 36 percent from the floor and 26 percent from three, on 17 shots per game. That just won't get it done. He's either a future NBA All-Star or a G-League star, and I'm not sure there's anything in-between.

Shaedon Sharpe — Guard, Kentucky

By 2028, Sharpe could be a four-time All-Star. But it’s all guesswork, as Sharpe hasn’t played competitive basketball in 12+ months. He’s worth taking a risk for a rebuilding team. However, a miss could set a franchise back another two or three years.

AJ Griffin — Wing, Duke

Griffin can shoot, but can he do anything else? It’s unclear, and with a history of sprained knees, it’s a concern for a lottery pick. If Ochai Agbaji is still available when Griffin is selected, that's a miss in my eyes. Yes, Agbaji is older, but I don't see Griffin having a better pro career than the Final Four MOP.

Walker Kessler — Center, Auburn

Kessler won National Defensive Player of the Year for a top-10 ranked Auburn squad, blocking 4.6 shots per game. Still, questionable offensive skill and a lack of shooting ability knock his case to be a top-30 pick. He only made 23 percent from deep and 57 percent from the line with an unorthodox jumper. The center spot is slowly becoming less and less valuable, especially if you can't splash from outside and can't defend guards on the perimeter. I'm not sure Kessler does those at an NBA level.

Dyson Daniels — Guard, G-League Ignite

With great guard size and defensive instincts, Daniels should play right away. However, offensive questions limit his potential (25percent beyond the arc), and teams want an All-Star caliber player in the lottery. Are G-League Ignite players legit considering the program has existed for just two years and only played 16 games last year? I trust Daniels more than Hardy, though neither are sure things like Jalen Green was a season ago.

TITLE IX TURNS 50

The landmark decision that changed sports

There’s an important anniversary tomorrow. Title IX, the commonly used name for the federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in school or any other education program that receives federal funding, fundamentally altered college sports — especially for women.

You’ve surely seen content about Title IX already this week and will certainly see more today and tomorrow, but don’t dismiss it. (Most of the attention is paid to women’s hoops, but it’s just as important for track and field, volleyball and soccer.) It’ll continue to push schools, media companies and organizations to evolve how college basketball is viewed.

The NCAA likely won’t stage the men’s and women’s Final Fours at the same location until 2031, which is a mistake, Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman told Front Office Sports. The women’s tournament is immensely popular and only growing. For it to be held at the same site as the men’s final weekend — think tennis Grand Slams — would boost both tournaments and grow both sports.

Further, as Ackerman wrote in Sportico, there’s never been a better time for women’s sports to be more assertive in sports media deals.

And a throwback: In 1982, there were two women’s significant women’s basketball tournaments — the inaugural women’s NCAA Tournament, and the AIAW Tournament, in its 11th and final season. Here’s a terrific read from SI.com’s Mark Bechtel about how one survived and the other didn’t.

MORE ON THE NBA DRAFT

Chet Holmgren, unicorn for the drafting

Gonzaga freshmen Chet Holmgren is one of three players vying to be the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft. At 7-1 and 190 pounds, his frame worries scouts and some analysts. But his skill, shooting and what could be? (Whistles)

To be clear, Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster aren’t worried about tenacity. Holmgren doesn’t shy away from contact and is an effective rim protector. It’s Holmgren’s durability that’s in question. Have a listen.

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