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Scouting Reports |
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Recruiting pecadilloes kept Swift from eligibility until midway through his freshman year. During his first SEC campaign, Swift led the league in blocked shots. He showed great promise as an athlete, but his basketball skills were extremely raw. This season was a different story. Swift took the SEC by storm his sophomore year, teaming with Jabari Smith as a formidable frontcourt duo. He raised his averages in every statistical category, cut down on his turnovers, and most importantly, showed a diverse and developing offensive game. Swift's potential has pro scouts abuzz. He is a very quick post player who is comfortable stepping out to 12-15' range. He's shown a reliable turnaround shot in the post, and occasionally brings a hook shot to the table. His quickness is excellent for a big man, and he has enough handle to be able to draw defenders out and use his first step. He will occasionally step farther out to the perimeter, but he's inconsistent past free-throw-extended. He's a good passer from the post, although he doesn't do that very often. Defensively, Swift is quite solid. His footwork has improved markedly, and he learned to play solid position defense instead of simply trying to throw every shot into the fifth row. That being said, he averaged nearly three blocks a game during his sophomore season, thanks to his good instincts and long wingspan. There are few downsides with Swift. He has, occasionally, had his concentration drift in games -- and has a tendency to occasionally overextend defensively and pick up a silly foul or two -- but that will correct itself as he gains maturity. Swift's potential will likely keep him in the top five of this year's draft. Scout: Mike Rosenberg |