Swift was introduced to the Seattle media today. Sonics Photos

Less than six years after he first began seriously playing basketball, Swift developed into one of the top high-school players in the country. And less than a couple of months after Swift purchased his first suit for his senior prom, he was nattily attired in it again today as the Sonics introduced him to the Seattle media as their first-round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, 12th overall.

"I really didn't start playing until about seventh grade," Swift told the media. "I never really played before, never had the idea or the interest to play. Some of my friends started getting me out there playing, and it just went from there."

Despite the fact that Swift was already 6-4 by the seventh grade, on his way to growing into a legitimate seven-footer, he dabbled in other sports. Swift focused on baseball in elementary school and then played a season of football before his family forced him to quit because of an injury he suffered. As soon as he got onto the basketball court, however, he knew it was what he wanted to do the rest of his life.

"I started playing with just my friends, so when I started out it was a fun experience. After my seventh-grade season, how it went, progressively getting better, learning new things, it was fun for me. I wanted to do all I could to learn as much as I could and play as much as I could."

He's learned a lot in that time. Experts have raved about Swift's innate knowledge of the game, as well as his ability in terms of the fundamentals, particularly footwork.

"For the first three years, it was just playing as much as I could, all the time," Swift explained. "My sophomore year of high school, I was lucky enough to meet Mark McNamara. He kind of took me under his wing, I guess you could say, and started working out with me, showing me the fundamentals of the post."

McNamara, a 6-11 power forward and center at Santa Clara and during eight NBA seasons, was the first of several instructors with NBA experience Swift has had. Former NBA assistant coach Tim Grgurich, who spent several seasons in Seattle during the mid-1990s, hooked up with Swift at an adidas ABCD camp, and Swift played at Grgurich's camp last summer, reportedly holding his own with the multiple NBA players in attendance. Swift has also worked with former Sonics forward Lonnie Shelton, whose son, Titus, is another big-time prospect who teamed with Swift at Bakersfield High School.

The Sonics have already been impressed with Swift's willingness to learn and his passion for the game of basketball.

"This is definitely a kid with a lot of class, a kid who's really pumped to be in this league and to get to work," said Sonics Coach Nate McMillan. "He's talked about nothing but basketball since he got here. He wanted to leave the plane and go and work out last night."

Already, Swift has participate in his first Sonics workout, getting on the court with Sonics special assignment coach Jack Sikma, who will work closely with Swift, on Monday morning. Swift's already enjoying himself.

"Honestly, it's been fun," he said about his first day in Seattle. "I took some time off before the draft to rest and let things go how they were going to go. Now that it's over and I'm here, I'm excited about being able to get into a gym, start working out."

The Sonics have much of the rest of Swift's summer planned. He'll spend the rest of the week in Seattle working out and adjusting to the city, and return when the Sonics work out in anticipation of summer-league play starting July 12. After that, Swift plans to play in Grgurich's camp once again, and by the conclusion of that, training camp will be just a month and a half away.

Swift knows that what he needs to work on most of all is adding weight after measuring in at 244 pounds and 7-0 (without shoes) and 7-1 (with) as the Sonics finally got a chance to measure him this morning.

"I'm planning on, as soon as possible, getting into the weight room and working as hard as I can to try to gain that weight, get ready for the season," Swift said. "Hopefully I'll be where I'm comfortable and happy at after a year, a year and a half, if that long."

There's also an off-the-court transition to be made, and the relative proximity of Seattle to Bakersfield should help in that process. Swift's parents, Bruce and Rhonda, came up to Seattle with him for his introduction to the city, and there's already been talk that at least one parent and possibly both will join Swift in Seattle to help him make the transition to the NBA.

That introduction to Seattle started on a gorgeous day that was closer to Bakersfield's weather than the stereotypical Seattle rain, but Swift says he won't mind getting wet when the fall and winter roll around.

"It doesn't rain much in Bakersfield, but I like it," he said.

The off-the-court transition also includes dealing with the media, and Swift admitted he'd never seen a swarm quite like the group of at least 30 reporters and broadcasters that packed The Furtado Center's media room for their first glimpse of the newest Sonics player.

"I've done this a couple times before," he said. "It's not the first time, but I'm not used to it."

The biggest adjustment for Swift, as with any high schooler, will be in the level of competition. While he played in a relatively strong league in California, now he'll be going up against NBA veterans whose names he's known for years, something that amazes him.

"I'm playing against people I admired and grew up watching and wanting to be like," he said. "Now I'm playing right there with them."

From all assessments, Swift should be able to count himself amongst that group before too long.

"I just picked up some little things," said McMillan, reviewing what he'd seen about Swift that he liked. "His footwork was great, he plays with his hands up, he rotates to the ball. All of those things are the subtle things that you want players to know. His instincts are very good in the paint."

"I think Robert is going to be a very successful player in the NBA," said Shelton. "I also believe that he will help the Sonics sooner than anyone expects."

To get to that level will require a lot of hard work from Swift. If his comments Monday were any indication, that shouldn't be any problem at all, and Swift may be able to continue his basketball career and his life at a breakneck pace.

"I'm hoping I can get out there and play and prove myself right away," he concluded. "That's what I'm planning on."

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