The No. 8 overall recruit according to ESPN has picked where he will play his college ball. On Twitter, big man Caleb Swanigan announced he would attend Michigan State to play for head coach Tom Izzo’s Spartans.
https://twitter.com/Biggs_Swanigan/status/586650198304133120
It’s a major upset decision, as ESPN College Basketball Insider Jeff Goodman tweeted earlier in the day that Swanigan was likely headed to the California Golden Bears, along with forward Ivan Rabb.
Swanigan will instead join a Spartans squad that, despite making the Final Four in this year’s NCAA tournament, was severely lacking in difference-making size and athleticism in the low post. To give a better idea, the team’s leading rebounder this past season was Branden Dawson, who is only 6-foot-6, 225 pounds.
Swanigan, on the other hand, is 6-foot-8, 275 pounds and has earned a reputation as a dominant low post player at Homestead High School in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
On top of that, he can also hit the occasional mid-range jumper.
Swanigan’s skills on the hardwood should easily fill the void left by former Spartan big man Adreian Payne, now with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.
Swanigan also moves with incredible grace for someone his size, showing no hesitation in driving to the basket or backing up in the post to stand and bang before drawing a foul, be it while taking a shot or going up for a rebound. He is a McDonald’s All-American for a reason, and Spartans fans should be excited for next year.
Thus, combined with the return of guard Denzel Valentine and incoming transfer Eron Harris (formerly of the West Virginia Mountaineers), the addition of Swanigan ensures that the Spartans are poised to be one of the top teams in the Big Ten next season, and opposing teams had better plan accordingly.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
