But he made it. He overcame every hurdle, every obstacle.
And that's what makes the journey even more worth it."
Swain became a two-time Ohio Division III Player of the Year before spending his first two collegiate seasons playing for the Xavier Musketeers.
"The city really loves my kid," said Addrece, discussing his hometown impact. "Africentric helped to make him into the person he is.
I would have it no other way.
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I love the city school that he came from, and I hope it inspires other kids and families to put in the hard work and stick to the cause."
Addrece expressed her immense gratitude regarding the milestone her young son achieved on draft night. "So proud," said Addrece.
"The world is a tough place.
And for somebody to be able to accomplish the things that he's accomplished, and at a young age...
that's just beyond proud."
National draft analysts closely evaluated Swain's physical tools and distinct playing style during the live draft broadcast coverage.
"Great versatility," said Jay Bilas, ESPN analyst. "He's got good skills and good athleticism.
But most of his scoring is below the rim. But he can slash, get downhill.
He's very good in transition. And he's tough.
He's a really good cutter, and crashes the glass. The one thing that he needs to improve upon is his 3-point shooting consistency.
… And I think he can improve his lateral quickness. But he's a tough-minded wing that can get to the rim and really move in transition."
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Bilas highlighted Swain's productivity in open-court scenarios and his physical approach to driving into the paint.
