Boasting multi-positional versatility and elite defensive IQ, this Texas standout offers the Sacramento Kings a high-upside prospect capable of anchoring the perimeter and dominating the boards immediately.
With the Sacramento Kings locked in at the No. 7 overall pick following the recent NBA Draft Lottery, we at KingsRoundtable will continue to explore some of the prospects in this year's deep class.
Some of the top talents in the class like Keaton Wagler of Illinois, Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Darius Acuff of Arkansas and Cameron Boozer of Duke will likely be taken within the top 10.
But, we have also shined light on projected late first rounders and sneaky good late value picks like Dillon Mitchell of St. John's and Michigan's Morez Johnson.
In this profile, I'll be looking into Texas forward Dailyn Swain, who is currently seen as a late first round prospect.
Major Versatility
Swain is a multi-positional player, possessing the size to play the 3 or 4, while also being mobile and skilled enough to play at the shooting guard position.
Last season, in his first year with Texas, Swain posted career-bests in points (17.3), assists (3.6), and rebounds (7.5) per game, while helping the Longhorns get to their second Sweet 16 since 2008.
Swain recorded double-digits in all four of Texas' March Madness matchups, adding 11 or more rebounds and assists each game.
Defensive Upside
The former Xavier product also possesses high IQ on the defensive side of the ball, having averaged at least one steal per game in all three of his collegiate seasons.
Swain is an elite perimeter defender who can switch between all five positions.
He is also a much-improved defensive rebounder, increasing his board averages by two or more each season.
While he has some work to do as a jump shooter, Swain will instantly be an NBA-level defender upon getting drafted.
Areas For Improvement
Like many of his fellow NBA-hopefuls, Swain needs to continue to develop as a 3-point and mid-range shooter.
Last season, Swain showed major improvement from deep, jumping nearly 10 full percentage points to 34.4-percent.
One positive sign is his consistency from the free-throw line, as Swain has knocked down over 81-percent of his attempts from the charity stripe.
Draft Projection
In ESPN's first mock draft post-lottery, Swain was taken No. 26 overall, joining three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets.
Are Kings a Fit?
Swain would be a huge pickup for a Kings team that desperately needs to get more athletic and consistent defensively on the perimeter.
While Swain may not get a lot of offensive workload, he would instantly compete to be the best perimeter defender on the team.
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