Memphis Grizzlies: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

6. Stromile Swift (PF) — No. 2 pick in 2000 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Grizzlies, 2000-05, 2006-08): 441 GP, 8.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 47.1 FG%, 70.9 FT%

Stromile Swift was a versatile inside threat known for two things: Dunks and blocks.

Swift was drafted ahead of the team’s final season in Vancouver. He played in 80 games his rookie year and averaged 16.4 minutes per game. He only scored 4.9 points per game, but pulled down 3.6 rebounds and swatted 1.0 blocks per game.

The league still recognized Swift’s otherworldly athleticism despite his sparse playing time. He picked up a spot in the 2001 Slam Dunk Contest and finished fourth out of six participants.

His role picked up once the team moved to Memphis. As a result, he had the best season of his career. Swift averaged 26.5 minutes, 11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in 2001-02. All of those numbers were career-highs.

On offense, he was ferocious on the low block. However, he also possessed a mid-range game to keep opponents honest. Defensively, he was a a talented rim protector that was very adept at rejecting shots and rebounding.

Stromile Swift has played the eighth-most games (441) and collected the eighth-most rebounds (2,128) of any Grizzlies player. He’s also third in blocks per game (1.4), seventh in Player Efficiency Rating (16.6) and 10th in total win shares (18.5).

Stromile Swift provided plenty of highlights with the Grizzlies, but beyond that, he built a career as a solid two-way role player.