Early Life
Caleb Swanigan was born to Tanya and Roosevelt Barnes. His mother struggled with drug addiction, and his father was in and out of prison. As a result, Swanigan was raised by his grandmother, who was instrumental in his success. Growing up, Swanigan was overweight, weighing over 360 pounds at the age of 13. But he decided to make a change and started playing basketball to shed the weight. He quickly discovered his talent for the sport and began to focus on it.
High School Career
Swanigan attended Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, where he continued to develop his basketball skills. In his junior year, he averaged 20.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, earning him the title of Indiana State Player of the Year. In his senior year, he averaged 28.6 points and 13.7 rebounds per game and led his team to the state championship game. Swanigan was a McDonald’s All-American and was also named Mr. Basketball in the state of Indiana.
College Career
Swanigan committed to playing college basketball at Purdue University. In his freshman year, he started in 28 games and averaged 10.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was also a member of the All-Freshman Team. In his sophomore year, he had a breakout season, averaging 18.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. He won the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year award and was also named the Big Ten Player of the Year. After his sophomore year, Swanigan decided to declare for the NBA draft.
NBA Career
Caleb Swanigan was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 26th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. In his rookie year, he played in 27 games and had an average of 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. In his second year, he played in 20 games and had an average of 2.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He also played in the NBA G League for the Canton Charge and the Texas Legends.
In 2019, Swanigan was traded to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Skal Labissiere. But he was waived by the Kings in February 2020. The Portland Trail Blazers re-signed him in March 2020, and he played in five games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Swanigan opted out of the NBA restart in July 2020 and was traded to the Houston Rockets in November 2020. However, he was waived by the Rockets in December 2020. He is currently a free agent.
Conclusion
Caleb Swanigan is a talented basketball player who has had a successful career so far. He overcame a difficult childhood and used basketball to carve out a better life for himself. He was a standout player in high school and college and has played for several NBA teams. Although he has faced some setbacks, he continues to work hard and remains optimistic about the future. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.