Caleb Swanigan’s ‘balls to the walls’ ethos has Blazers coaches comparing him to Draymond Green

LAS VEGAS — When Caleb Swanigan was growing up, bouncing between Utah and Indiana, he wanted to model his game after players like Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook, and Dennis Rodman — players who had the mentality to win every possession and left everything on the floor.

But Portland’s Summer League coach Jim Moran has a different comp in mind for the versatile 6’9” big man with ranging skill sets on both ends: Draymond Green.

No, Swanigan is not the NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year. He’s not the most versatile defender in the history of the NBA, nor is he a game-changing playmaker capable of running an NBA offense on his own.

Not yet.

But what he is is a relentless rebounder with a workhorse motor — “balls to the wall” is what he calls it. It’s how he made a name for himself, averaging more than 12 boards per game to win Big Ten Player of the Year at Purdue last season. And time after time during the Trail Blazers’ matchup against the Spurs on Tuesday, he showed he’s much more than an elite glass cleaner.

On one possession, he trailed the play full court before crashing in for an offensive rebound and putback. On another, he caught the ball in the high post before facing up and barreling through his defender for a bucket. On two other occasions, he drilled threes on pick-and-pops, giving Moran belief in the rookie’s potential to stretch the floor as a legitimate perimeter threat.

For Trail Blazers fans in attendance, Swanigan was the only thing to cheer for while their team trailed by 20.

More importantly, Swanigan busts out after defensive rebounds, pushing the ball himself after rebounds rather than finding the nearest guard. Doing so rushes the defense, often confuses opponents, and ultimately wreaks havoc after a missed shot.

“I think especially when I get to watch film with him, I’m gonna wanna show him how Draymond does it,” Moran said. “Because having another guy out there not just handle and bringing the ball up the court, but can make a pass and make the right play, I think that would be invaluable on the court for us.”

In only a few Summer League games, the adroit 20-year-old has Portland’s coaching staff excited about his potential as a legitimate two-way frontcourt threat. On one end, Swanigan is a bully who uses his size and brute strength to overpower his man on the way to the rack. It’s a reason why many compared him to Zach Randolph on draft night, and the home-state Indiana ties made the argument stronger.

But unlike Z-Bo, Swanigan utilizes his deft defensive footwork to switch on pick-and-rolls and keep smaller players in front of his body. When Trail Blazers rookie Zach Collins left Tuesday’s game with an injury, Moray moved Swanigan to the center position. He responded by anchoring Portland’s defense and staying in front of Bryn Forbes in screen-and-roll situations.

“It’s nothing,” Swanigan said. “I play center, play four, play three. Put me where you want me, I’m gonna figure it out.”

Swanigan doesn’t want to be called a point-forward just yet. At this point, he’d rather be known for outworking the other team. And even if he falls short of the premature Draymond Green comparison, Portland’s rookie is well on his way to achieving what he set out to do.

“My motor’s gonna be the best in the NBA,” he said. “That’s my goal. That’s what I wanna be. You come watch Swanigan play, he’s playing his hardest every night.”