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The Big Ten Network has started to announce their all decade teams and today they announced the 3rd Team. Both Caleb Swanigan and JaJuan Johnson made the 3rd team.
#BTNAllDecade 3rd Team
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) June 22, 2020
Player: @JaJuanJohnson
Team: @BoilerBall
Why: ⬇️
More: https://t.co/tJBP1RNQRm pic.twitter.com/z844Jy4Dqp
#BTNAllDecade 3rd Team
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) June 22, 2020
Player: Caleb Swanigan
Team: @BoilerBall
Why: ⬇️
More: https://t.co/tJBP1RNQRm
(There were six players on the 3rd team, due to a tie.) pic.twitter.com/ovD1VpJ4H5
Both had Illustrious careers at Purdue. Caleb only stayed two seasons, but JaJuan was a four year starter at Purdue.
JaJuan was a prototypical Purdue Basketball Player that continued to develop over his years at Purdue. His freshman season he averaged only 5 PPG and3 rebounds per game. By the time he was a senior and the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, he averaged 20 PPG and 8 rebounds per game.
During his time at Purdue he made the all defensive team 3 times for the Big Ten Conference, 3 times all conference and the same year he was the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, he was also named the Defensive Player of the Year for the conference. The icing on the cake was being named a consensus All American.
He was then selected in the first round of the NBA Draft to the Boston Celtics. While he didn’t have a great NBA career, his overseas basketball career has allowed him to make plenty of money playing the game he loves.
While JJ came in and took a couple of years to develop, Caleb Swanigan came in a bit more polished.
Caleb only stayed for two seasons, but was a Freshman All-American, when he averaged 10 PPG and 8 rebounds per game. His second season though he made a huge leap. Averaging 18 PPG, over 12 rebounds per game and he shot nearly 45% from three - being named a consensus All-American.
While at times we got frustrated because it seemed like things were forced to work through Biggie, he was clearly the best player on the court essentially every single night. He was selected in the first round to the Portland Trailblazers, then was traded to the Sacramento Kings and he is now back in Portland.
Both Caleb and JJ were huge successes at Purdue. Who else do you think will make an All Decade Team for Purdue for the Big Ten Network?