National Basketball Association

Caleb Swanigan, former Purdue star and NBA first-round pick, dies at 25

Updated Jun. 21, 2022 1:21 p.m. ET

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Former first-round NBA draft pick and Purdue Boilermakers star Caleb Swanigan died Monday at the age of 25, the school announced. 

Multiple outlets reported he died of natural causes. 

The 6-foot-9 forward rose to prominence as the state of Indiana's Mr. Basketball in 2015 after he led Homestead High School in Fort Wayne to its only state championship. He went on to play at Purdue from 2015 until 2017, averaging 14.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists over two seasons with the Boilermakers. His sophomore season was his best, averaging 18.5 points, 12.5 boards and 3.1 assists. 

His 28 double-doubles in 2016-17 are the most in a single season in Big Ten history. Swanigan was named a finalist for the Wooden Award and Naismith Award, plus Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All American. He still holds the school record for single-season rebounds (436).

Swanigan spent three years in the NBA with Portland and Sacramento after the Trail Blazers selected him at 26th overall in 2017. He appeared in 75 NBA games averaging 2.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 0.7 APG.

As news of Swanigan's death spread Tuesday, an outpouring of tributes on social media began:

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