Report: Cal putting 'full court press' on Caleb Swanigan

WEST LAFAYETTE -- If you're looking for real news on the Caleb Swanigan front, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere. (Far as I can tell, you won't find it anywhere else, either.)

But there was an interesting development in the recruiting saga surrounding the Homestead big man and 2015 IndyStar Mr. Basketball. Lindsay Brauner, who covers California men's basketball for Golden Bear Report, cited an anonymous source close to Roosevelt Barnes (Swanigan's guardian) saying Swanigan is waiting for a spot to open up with the Golden Bears.

I have no reason to question Brauner's reporting, and it makes some sense in that Cal was considered the favorite to land Swanigan prior to his surprising commitment to Michigan State.

I understand why the math gives some people pause. If Swanigan wants to come to Purdue, and the Boilermakers are standing with arms wide open, why hasn't he publicly declared his commitment yet? But the other shoe fits just as well: If Swanigan wanted Cal, why didn't he make that choice when the Golden Bears had two scholarships open?

The above tweets aren't anywhere near the oddest things to leak into the public discussion on Swanigan in recent days. Personally, my stance remains the same: especially in this case, I'm waiting for something on the record from Swanigan.

That's not me taking an optimistic stance on Purdue's behalf. That's just me saying there's a lot of noise out there right now and, it appears, two basketball programs are optimistic about their chances to land Swanigan.

I know it's naive and trite, but part of me feels for a young man with a big decision to make under intense scrutiny. (Yes, scrutiny somewhat of his own creation.) I hope he's getting good advice and counsel.

Hopefully our next updates comes via something official from the Swanigan camp. Until then, hopefully fans from West Lafayette to Berkeley can discover some patience.