LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Caleb Swanigan put a cap on his first professional action by being named first-team NBA Summer League, the league announced last night.
Swanigan led the Trailblazers to the Summer League championship game, helping Portland to a 5-3 record. The rookie forward from Purdue averaged 16.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field. He posted five double-doubles in eight games.
He became just the fourth rookie in NBA history to average a Summer League double-double joining Kevin Love, Marreese Speights and Blake Griffin on the prestigious list. He is the first to accomplish the feat in the last eight years.
Swanigan saved his best for last, scoring 25 points with 12 rebounds, seven assists and three steals in 35 minutes during Monday's 110-98 title-game setback to the Lakers.
Swanigan was the No. 26 selection by the Trailblazers in June's NBA Draft, but was considered the steal of the Draft by many pundits. He was a 2017 first-team consensus All-American selection, the Big Ten Player of the Year and recipient of the Pete Newell Big Man Award, given to the nation's top post player.
Meanwhile, 2016 first-team All-Big Ten honoree A.J. Hammons averaged 5.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 17.3 minutes during six Summer League games for the Miami Heat. In the quarterfinals against Memphis, he recorded 10 points with five rebounds and added four points, nine rebounds, five blocks and two steals against the Clippers in pool play.
