Nothin' But Nets
Fansided

Five Power Forwards Brooklyn Nets Could Target in 2017 NBA Draft

By Sean Costello

Mar 24, 2017; Memphis, TN, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) drives to the basket against Kentucky Wildcats forward Derek Willis (35) in the second half during the semifinals of the South Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2017; Memphis, TN, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) drives to the basket against Kentucky Wildcats forward Derek Willis (35) in the second half during the semifinals of the South Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
Mar 23, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) reacts during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks in the semifinals of the midwest Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Swanigan (50) reacts during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks in the semifinals of the midwest Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

Caleb Swanigan, Purdue

Caleb Swanigan has been a huge part of Purdue’s success this season. Purdue played great basketball during the 2016-17 season and a big part of that was the play of the sophomore big man. Swanigan has dominated the competition, averaging 18.5 points, 12.6 rebounds and three assists per game this season with the boilermakers.

Swanigan can help the Brooklyn Nets with something they’ve struggled with over the last few seasons: rebounding the basketball and playing hard defense. The 6-foot-9, 19-year-old was named this year’s Big 10 Player of the Year and has shown just how his hustle and leadership while on the floor can affect the game in a number of ways.

MUST READ: None of Nets’ Focus Should Be on Knicks

The 247-pounder has a remarkable 7-foot-3.5 wingspan and a player efficiency rating of 27.11, which ranks him in the top 40 among all NCAA Division I players.

Swanigan also knows hard work and has a competitive nature about him. This is mostly in part to his tough home life as a kid. He floated between unstable housing and homeless shelters as a kid, which seemed to motivate him to make it big.

In eighth grade, Swanigan was 6-foot-2 and weighed almost 400 pounds, a result of unhealthy eating due to his unstable housing situation. By the time Swanigan finished high school, he had slimmed down to just about 260 pounds thanks to his former AAU coach and Purdue star, Roosevelt Barnes. Barnes agreed to take him in and raise him. Now, we see that has worked out for Swanigan, as he is a projected first-round draft pick in this year’s NBA draft.

MUST READ: Nets’ Small Ball Beginning to Match Atkinson’s Vision

It’ll be interesting to see if Swanigan is around when the Nets choose in the later stages of the first round, but if he is, he should be on their radar. The Nets would be smart to target the wide-bodied big man and play him alongside Brook Lopez, who isn’t a great rebounder, or even Trevor Booker, who is effective at rebounding the basketball, and see what results they get.

After all, if he can transfer his game and success down low over to the NBA level, a front court of Lopez and Swanigan does sound intriguing.