Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell got his chance, and he's running with it Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Former Auburn Big Man Carving Out NBA Role

Originally posted on Auburn Tigers on SI
By Micah Farmer | Last updated Dec 29, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Former Auburn Tigers star Dylan Cardwell has been seeing a recent increase in minutes with the Sacramento Kings, and the big man has been taking advantage of the opportunity. After spending most of the early season in the G-League, Cardwell has been promoted thanks to the undrafted rookie’s consistent defensive play and competitive mentality recently.

In his team’s last five games, Cardwell has averaged 21 minutes per game and has been more productive than many would have expected. Through a stretch that has included two games against the Trail Blazers, a game against the Pistons, and matchups against the Rockets and Mavericks, Cardwell has averaged 4.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.6 blocks, all career-highs for a month.

Cardwell had his best game of the season in the Kings’ win over the Mavericks on Saturday, recording 4 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks in just 21 minutes.

NEWS FLASH: Dylan Cardwell is elite‼️‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/YVqJoFpsiN
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) December 21, 2025

Kings head coach Doug Christie has been impressed with Cardwell’s recent stretch, praising the rookie as a possible defensive answer for a team that has struggled mightily on that end this season.

"He's extremely coachable, plays extremely hard, and has a level of physicality you don't teach," Christie said.

Those comments echo much of what Christie had to say about Cardwell during fall camp, where the former Tiger made a strong early impression.

“His level of physicality and commitment to being coached, his ability to rebound the basketball, he sets incredible screens,” Christie said. “Went through some video with him… I want him to do this then they went back, they watched video and then the other day I’m watching the film like, ‘Man, he did it’.”

The young role player has also quickly won over his older and more experienced teammates, including team scoring leader Zach LaVine.

“I love Dylan," LaVine said. "Dylan’s been really big for us. I like him because he’s a little bit of an enforcer, he’s aggressive, he’ll hit somebody if he needs to -- not physically, but you know. I like his attitude. ... If somebody fouls me, I want him to put somebody on the ground.”

Cardwell has brought the same hardworking attitude to the NBA that took him from a small footnote as a freshman at Auburn to a key contributor on the Tigers’ 2025 Final Four squad, and it’s clearly paying off. If he can keep the level of consistent play on the defensive end that he’s displayed in the last five games, the rookie should be well on his way to establishing himself as a true NBA contributor.