Nathan Baird

Journal & Courier

Purdue men's basketball power forward Caleb Swanigan has insisted his NBA Draft is about more than feedback.

The sophomore-to-be — if he chooses to return to Purdue — learned this weekend he'll have a chance to prove himself on an important stage.

Swanigan’s adoptive father, Roosevelt Barnes, confirmed that the 6-foot-9, 250-pound power forward has received an invitation to next month’s NBA Draft Combine. Those invitations result from a vote of NBA teams.

“We’re really pleased that he’s officially invited to the combine,” Barnes said. “He’ll just continue to prepare to get ready to show NBA teams that he’s ready to contribute to someone’s team to help them win a championship next year.”

As expected, Purdue center A.J. Hammons also received an invitation, per his former AAU coach, Jared Quarles. Vince Edwards’ mother, Glennetta Patton, said the junior forward had not yet received an invitation but is talking with multiple teams about scheduling workouts.

The NBA Draft Combine is held May 10-15 in Chicago. Swanigan and Edwards, taking advantage of new rules that allow prospects to receive more NBA feedback, have until May 25 to remove their name from draft consideration and return to Purdue.

How Cline and Swanigan can lead Purdue

Swanigan averaged 10.2 points as a freshman and led Purdue — and nearly led the Big Ten Conference — with 8.3 rebounds. He missed one game with an ankle injury but started all others and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Swanigan, the 2015 Indiana Mr. Basketball from Homestead, has declined to speculate as to what draft status would convince him to leave Purdue. Barnes said the family hasn’t considered that eventuality and is focused on maximizing Swanigan’s opportunity.

“I believe — this is what I believe — Biggie’s the best power forward in college basketball, and I think his game is more suited for the NBA because of all the spacing in the NBA,” said Barnes, a Purdue grad who played in the NFL and works as a contract adviser for Relativity Sports. “Therefore, when he gets the ball in the post, he’s going to have space to do what he does best.

“We haven’t set any parameters as far as him coming out or him staying in the draft. What we want to do is show people he’s ready to contribute.”

Barnes said several teams are interested in scheduling a workout with Swanigan, but he declined to name them, saying plans had not been finalized.

Hammons could not be reached for comment. His invitation was expected after consistent improvement throughout his four-year career culminated in first team All-Big Ten and Defensive Player of the Year honors this past season.

Hammons averaged a team-high 15 points per game last season, with 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. The 7-foot center received feedback from the NBA’s Undergraduate Advisory Committee in past seasons. However, under the previous rules, Hammons could not be invited to the combine or individual workouts and return to school.

"I know he got really good as a basketball player and very functional as a basketball player," Purdue coach Matt Painter recently said of Hammons' draft stock. "I don’t know how many 7-foot guys in the draft can score over either shoulder, can make 18-footers and can block shots."

Edwards averaged 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds and led Purdue in total assists for the second straight season with 100. Patton mentioned the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies as teams who have expressed interest in arranging a workout with Edwards.

Painter recently said the new rules are advantageous for underclassmen who may not be targeted in the upcoming draft but are already on NBA radars for future seasons.

"Sometimes they're getting intel for maybe not this year but the year after that," Painter said. "The workouts are very beneficial to the NBA because they're able to start witching them and inter viewing them and getting some face-to-face with them when they didn’t have that option under the old system."