When Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell checked into a recent game against the Portland Trailblazer, fans welcomed him with a thunderous roar. There are two things they can count on when he’s in the game: a player giving maximum effort and a unique celebration that is likely to go viral.
Every time the 6-foot-11 Cardwell blocks a shot or dunks he dances around the Golden 1 Center floor, both hands extended, fingers beckoning, exhorting the crowd to cheer the Kings on. Coach Doug Christie’s a fan, too, labeling the “joy” he brings to the game, “the Dylan Cardwell experience.”
You never know what celebration you’re going to get, and neither does Cardwell.
“I just like to run out there with my hands up, trying to get the crowd louder,” Cardwell said with a smile. “The game is so fast, you don’t really hear the fans unless you engage them. Timeouts are different. I never know what celebration is coming, but I’m just trying to have fun.”
An undrafted rookie out of Auburn, toggling between the G-League Stockton Kings and the home club, Cardwell’s contagious energy helped the Kings during a four-game win streak in January – their longest of the season – including wins over the Rockets, Lakers and Knicks, all in strong position to make the playoffs.
The Blazers ended the win streak, but Cardwell posted a career-high 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, his first NBA double-double. During a seven-game stretch, Cardwell averaged 19.1 minutes, 6.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1 block off the bench.
“Dylan is a special young man,” Christie said postgame. “He has an energy about himself whenever we talk basketball, whether it’s me sitting down with him and showing him film, or him coming up and saying, ‘Coach, let me have it. What do you have for me? How can I get better?’ Those are moments you love as a coach.”
Cardwell and his two younger brothers were raised by their mother, Michelle, in Augusta, Ga. He says this is where some of his vibrant personality comes from. Augusta isn’t a city known for producing basketball stars. However, it is the birthplace of four-time NBA champion Horace Grant and his brother, Harvey Grant, both about the same size as Cardwell.
Basketball was introduced to Cardwell at age 4. His journey to the NBA began in his community’s church league, the Upper Stars, where he played until he was 10. As he grew older, he moved into AAU competition, but it wasn’t until his junior year of high school that he truly fell in love with the game.
“I averaged 3 points per game at a small high school in Augusta, Georgia,” Cardwell told The OBSERVER during an interview before the Portland game. “I ended up at Oak Hill Academy with Cole Anthony and Cam Thomas, who were both five-star athletes now in the NBA. I shouldn’t have been on the same court as them.”
Despite the doubters Cardwell understood basketball had to be part of his calling. He left private Oak Hill in Virginia for public McEachern High School near Atlanta and entered his senior year with an expectation and intent to shine. That plan never materialized, as he didn’t play a single minute.
“The Georgia High School Association ruled that I couldn’t transfer from a public school to a boarding school and then back to a public school,” Cardwell explained. “It made my senior year extremely difficult. I didn’t know where to turn – I was upset and depressed. When basketball was taken away from me, I fell into a really dark place and had no peace.”
Missing your senior season could cost you college scholarship offers. That fear and frustration weighed heavily on the younger Cardwell. Then at 17 he turned to something he had never fully believed in for help and guidance.
“When basketball was taken away, I went to a really dark place.,” he recalled. “I didn’t find peace until I opened my Bible and leaned into building my relationship with God. I really had to trust Him to carry the burden I couldn’t.”
Despite his lost season, Auburn still offered him a scholarship. This experience uplifted his spirit and brought clarity to what would carry him through life’s hardships. He was certain the only reason he was at Oak Hill and had received a scholarship to Auburn was God’s will.
He didn’t grow up going to church and didn’t really believe in it, but the only explanation that made sense to him for his success was a power greater than himself.
Cardwell appeared in 166 games for the Tigers, averaging 4.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks.
In his senior season — a fifth year, granted due to the COVID pandemic — he averaged 5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks. He was a part of two SEC Championships and helped Auburn to a Final Four appearance. Still, his name wasn’t called during the NBA draft.
“I just put my purpose in Christ,” Cardwell said. “Whether I got drafted or not, whether I got a chance to play in the NBA or not, I was going to continue to live my life and enjoy what the Lord has given me.”
Before the NBA Summer League began, the Kings called, and Cardwell earned a two-way contract. With his foot in the door, he knew it wasn’t time to relax. The grind was only beginning. His faith and a clearer understanding of the man he’s becoming carried him farther than he ever imagined.
The Kings’ season didn’t start as fans had hoped. They got off to one of the worst starts in franchise history, mainly because the roster has been riddled with injuries. Christie found he had to rely on Cardwell more than planned. He became an unexpected spark and an elite rim protector the team desperately needed.
He instantly became a fan favorite. Whenever Cardwell gets a chance, he’s celebrating and revving up the crowd.
“The Bible says in First Corinthians, whether you eat, you drink, whatever you do, let it be for the glory of God,” Cardwell said. “The Lord is blessing you to be a joyful person. I’m not out there stoic. I’m not being a robot. I’m here living my childhood dream.”
Cardwell said he is grateful for every opportunity and piece of advice he receives from coaches, teammates, and even opposing stars. In one week, he played against Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic. He’s received encouraging words from many of them, and he doesn’t take them for granted.
“They’ve just told me to keep balling. Simple words of affirmation. These are all-time greats, Olympic players, and they’re telling me, an undrafted rookie, that I did a good job. As a kid, I never imagined crossing paths with them. Now they’re commending my effort, my rebounding, and my defense, and that means everything to me.”
Cardwell is living his dream playing in the NBA. It’s something the 24-year-old is excited about and plans to share with others.
“I want to play in the NBA for as long as I possibly can. I want to be a veteran who pours into the next generation and spreads that light in locker rooms. Basketball is fun and brings fame and success, but at the end of the day, none of that really matters. We are called to be husbands, fathers, and loving people. When the ball stops bouncing, I want to be one of those locker room guys who pour into young players as men, being a spiritual leader, and I want to bring Sacramento a championship.”