Michigan State Basketball: What Caleb Swanigan Brings to the Spartans

Whether it’s for one year or two, Caleb Swanigan will help put Michigan State’s frontcourt back on the map and assist Spartans coach Tom Izzo on the quest for his second national championship.

At 6’8” and 265 pounds, the 5-star center has the type of game that will certainly re-energize the program, especially on the boards and in the paint.

And to think, the Ft. Wayne Homestead superstar was supposed to be another one that got away from Izzo, who’s missed out on a few of the highest-profile preps in recent years. But as fate would have it, Izzo reached his seventh Final Four earlier this month, likely helping to reel in one of the biggest fish of 2015.

If that didn’t help, Izzo’s reputation as a player’s coach certainly did.

“He just puts his guys in places they can succeed,” Swanigan recently explained to reporters at the Nike Hoops Summit (h/t Sports Illustrated). “That’s the greatest thing about him, he doesn’t strap anyone to a place where they can’t do anything. He gives the freedom that allows them to go out and produce.”

In the past, Izzo’s given endless amount of leash to his bigs—just look back to players such as Adreian Payne and Paul Davis, who gained trust while taking developmental leaps during their junior and senior years.

In all likelihood, Swanigan won’t be around that long, so Izzo will have to expedite the process—which of course will hinge on Swanigan’s ability to adjust from preps to major D-I hoops.

Judging by scouting reports and recruit rankings, Swanigan, the No. 4-ranked center of his class, shouldn’t have much trouble making the transition. That of course will benefit the Spartans, who are in need of an aggressive, productive and intelligent presence in the paint.

If even for one year and one class, Swanigan symbolizes a sort of recruiting resurgence for Izzo, who just signed one of his better classes in recent memory: 4-star forward Deyonta Davis, 4-star shooting guard Matt McQuaid and 3-star shooting guard Kyle Ahrens.

Consider Swanigan as the mantelpiece.

The Big Picture

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In 2014, Spartans forwards struggled to live up to expectations. As a sophomore in 2013, Matt Costello displayed improved hands, footwork and scoring ability—but that brief advancement was followed by a steep regression.

That backward slide was evident during the national tournament, the worst time possible. Averaging a paltry four points and 4.2 rebounds per game, Costello contributed far less than what was anticipated during his team’s five-game run to the Final Four.

As a freshman in 2013, Gavin Schilling represented a different type of Izzo forward—one who would eventually bring a smooth, European style of athleticism to both sides of the ball. As a sophomore, he fell short in several areas; averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game during March Madness.

Again, not what was expected from a guy who showed positive strides throughout the past two seasons. During his media finale, Izzo said Schilling had to “fall in love with the game,” later adding that he was baffled by Schilling’s inconsistencies.

All in all, Izzo said that Costello and Schilling have a lot of room for improvement. His statement should serve as motivation.

So should the addition of Swanigan, who stands to chew up Costello and Schilling’s minutes as a true freshman. He could have gone to Cal, Purdue, Arizona or Kentucky, but he chose Michigan State, a program that offers stability, the potential for immediate playing time and an immediate run at a national title.

To say that Swanigan is everything Costello and Schilling are not would be unfair. They’re different types of players with varying strengths and weaknesses. But they’re all bigs, and the job description at Michigan State has been clear for 20 years: Get physical or else. Tough play has always been a staple of Spartans basketball, and the need for a bruising yet athletic center has never been greater.

The games are finished. There are no replays or second chances. But think about Michigan State’s 81-61 Final Four loss to Duke, and then think about the benefits of a Swanigan-esque player. Maybe Jahlil Okafor doesn’t run through Michigan State’s frontcourt so easily. Maybe he’s worn down by another agile mammoth who doesn’t constantly run into foul trouble.

The road to a national championship is usually smoother for teams with a dynamic center. Ask Wisconsin, which lost 68-63 to Duke in the national title game. Ask Kentucky, a Final Four team that was two-deep with NBA-level centers before finishing 38-1. Circumstances vary from team to team, but more times than not, skilled bigs play an important role in March.

Izzo has the guards. He always has the guards. Swanigan is the automatic 15-and-10 guy with 20-and-15 potential that’s been missing in the middle for nearly a decade. He’s still raw in some aspects, but Swanigan just became Izzo’s top center without even playing a game.

Evaluating Game

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The lack of superior physicality is the only knock on Swanigan’s game. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have another gear, but it is to say that he has more to give.

Players with pad-and-helmet backgrounds are Izzo’s favorite. He actually promotes football on the court and has repeatedly expressed his love for the gridiron. Instead of basking in a 72-66 senior day win versus Purdue, Izzo jokingly said he hoped Spartans football coach Mark Dantonio was happy with the effort.

Big men must be willing to embrace the role of a tackle or end. Swanigan has such roots. Up until his sophomore year, he was a two-sport star headed to a camp at Alabama, per InsideTheHall. He ended up choosing basketball, or so he thought. He’s going to play for Izzo, so he really chose both.

Low-post, high-post and mid-range jumpers—Swanigan’s arsenal is nearly complete. Highlighted by footwork, Swanigan moves with purpose. He wastes little energy traversing from Point A to Point B, as evidenced by the accompanying Vines.

The term “stretching the floor” is often used to describe what players such as Swanigan can do for a team. While posted near the basket, he’ll draw attention, thus creating distance for his shooters. He can do that with or without the ball. But he can also shoot, so he’ll keep defenders honest—they’ll be forced to honor his 15-footer or race him to the rim.

Both are desirable, no-lose situations for Swanigan, the new fulcrum of Michigan State basketball.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan State Spartans basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via press conference, press release or other media availability. All recruiting information comes via 247Sports.