Caleb Swanigan Ruled Eligible by NCAA: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Purdue basketball received a major lift Friday afternoon when head coach Matt Painter informed ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman that the NCAA has ruled star freshman Caleb Swanigan eligible for the 2015-16 season.

Citing a source, Bleacher Report's Jason King reported Monday the NCAA was "investigating the relationship between Swanigan and Roosevelt Barnes, a Purdue alum who adopted Swanigan in May of 2011, prior to his eighth-grade year."

According to King, Barnes' status as a certified sports agent precipitated speculation regarding his relationship with Swanigan. 

"I adopted Biggie because I loved him unconditionally," Barnes said, per King. "I wanted to show him that, no matter what happened, I wasn't going anywhere. I felt like it was my responsibility as a man to help this kid, because no one else was going to do it."

Now that Swanigan has been cleared, he can focus on helping the 24th-ranked Boilermakers as they get set to compete with Maryland, Michigan State and Wisconsin in a stacked Big Ten. 

According to 247Sports.com, the 6'9", 250-pounder is the fourth-ranked center and 18th-ranked player overall in the Class of 2015. 

Swanigan and the Boilermakers are slated to tip off the 2015-16 season on Nov. 13 against North Carolina A&T as Painter's squad sets its sights on a second straight NCAA tournament appearance.