Trail Blazers rookie Swanigan honors Steve McElvene

Portland Trail Blazers rookie Caleb Swanigan is wearing a wristband with the words “R.I.P. No. 5” during NBA Summer League action this month. He did the same last season at Purdue.

Swanigan was friends with late Dayton Flyers center Steve McElvene in high school in Fort Wayne, Ind., and wants to continue to honor McElvene, who died at age 20 on May 12, 2016, of an enlarged heart, at the pro level.

"I'm not really one that's interested in tattoos," Swanigan told the Las Vegas Review Journal. "This is probably something I'll do for a while."

ONE YEAR LATER: Remembering McElvene

Swanigan graduated from Homestead High School in Fort Wayne. McElvene graduated from New Haven. The two played AAU basketball together.

Swanigan played two seasons at Purdue and was drafted in the first round, No. 26 overall, by the Blazers in June.

Dayton honored McElvene by wearing No. 5 on the front of their jerseys last season.

Big
Biggie
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— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) July 17, 2017

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About the Author

David Jablonski

David Jablonski covers the Dayton Flyers and other sports for the Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal News.