Brian Lee Cardinal nicknamed "The Custodian" or "The Janitor", is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. Prior to being drafted to the NBA, Cardinal played
college basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at
Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.
1991–1995
Brian Cardinal attended
Unity High SchoolUnity High School is a public high school located in the village of Tolono in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. In 2007, 467 students attended the grade 9-12 school. It is the only high school in Community Unit School District Seven. Unity Junior High School, Unity West Elementary, and...
in
Tolono, IllinoisTolono is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,447 at the 2010 census. Its name was fabricated by J.B. Calhoun, land commission of the Illinois Central Railroad, who wrote about it simply: "[I] placed the vowel o three times, thus o-o-o, and filling in with...
where he played basketball with his brother, Troy. He led the Rockets to an 86–25 record during his high school career, where he averaged 23.5 points during his Junior year and 24.1 points per game in his Senior year. He scored 40 points in two different games. On April 15, Brian was selected as the
Coca-Cola All-American Most Valuable Player, where he scored 24 points and 13 rebounds for the West team.
1995–1997
After graduating from high school, Cardinal attended
Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
in
West Lafayette, IndianaAs of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
to play under head coach
Gene KeadyLloyd Eugene "Gene" Keady is a basketball coach. Currently an assistant coach at St. John's, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005.-Kansas State :...
and assistant coaches
Frank KendrickFrank Edward Kendrick is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA.-College career:...
and Bruce Weber. Cardinal was redshirted during his Freshman season. During the 1996–97 season, Brian averaged 10.6 points a game and grabbed 182 rebounds on the season. He recorded his first collegiate double-double in only his second game against
Western MichiganWest Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for an arbitrarily selected region in the U.S. state of Michigan in its Lower Peninsula. There is no official definition for what constitutes "West Michigan." The area of West Michigan may also include parts Southern Michigan.-Definition:In general,...
with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Along with Juniors
Brad MillerBradley Alan Miller is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA...
and Chad Austin, he helped lead the
BoilermakersThe Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
to an
NCAA TournamentThe 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
Second Round appearance.
1997–1998
Brian was selected as a team captain for his Sophomore season, where he averaged 12 points and grabbed 178 rebounds, while leading Purdue to a 28–8 record. He helped lead the Boilers to a
Sweet SixteenThe 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
appearance.
1998–1999
Averaging 11.4 points and grabbing 186 rebounds in his Junior season, he scored a career high 33 points in a game against
MichiganThe Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
. Along with teammate
Jaraan CornellJaraan V. Cornell is an American former collegiate basketball player at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana.-1992–1996:...
, he was named a
Third Team All-Big Ten selection and led Purdue to a second straight Sweet Sixteen appearance with a 23–13 record.
1999–2000
Cardinal played his last collegiate season with career season highs with 203 rebounds and 13.9 points a game. The
Second Team All-Big Ten selection helped lead the
BoilermakersThe Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
to an
Elite EightThe 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
appearance in 2000 during his Senior year and to a 24–10 record.
College Notes
Brian Cardinal is second in career starts at Purdue with 125, behind E'Twaun Moore. His career 259 steals at Purdue is the second most in school history behind
Chris KramerChristopher Scott Kramer is an American professional basketball player. He played collegiately with the Purdue University Boilermakers...
's 260 (2006–2010). His Freshman record with 51 steals in the 1996–97 season was also surpassed by Chris Kramer's 64 a decade later. He received the nickname, "The Custodian", due to the way he cleaned the floor diving for loose balls. Brian left Purdue being the only Boilermaker to receive both the
"Mr. Hustle" Award and the
"Courage" Award four years in a row. On November 28, 2008,
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's
Jay WilliamsJason David Williams , professionally known as Jay Williams, is a former American professional basketball player with the NBA Chicago Bulls. He last signed with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, but was waived by the Toros on December 30, 2006 to rehabilitate a nagging injury...
compared
North CarolinaThe North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
's Tyler Hansborough to Brian Cardinal's style of play.
While at Purdue, Brian won a Gold Medal at the 1998 Goodwill games; Team USA went 4-1. He was also a member of the 1997 22-and under National Team, which finished 5th in a 12-team field.
2000–2002
Cardinal was selected the 44th overall pick in the
2000 NBA DraftThe 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
by the
Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. During his rookie season, playing in only 15 games, he had his best game against the
Toronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
on April 11, 2001, scoring a season-high 9 points, 4 rebounds and a game high three steals in 18 minutes. Playing in a total of 23 games for the Pistons in two seasons, he averaged 2.1 points a game and shot over 80 percent from the free throw line.
2002–2003
On September 11, 2002, he was traded to the
Washington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
along with
Jerry StackhouseJerry Darnell Stackhouse is an American professional basketball player who plays both shooting guard and small forward. He most recently played for the Miami Heat. He is now an NBA TV analyst but remains as an eligible free agent....
and
Ratko VardaRatko Varda is a professional basketball player. He is a 2.13 m center who plays for Union Olimpija.-Career:...
, for
Richard HamiltonRichard "Rip" Hamilton is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons. Hamilton is 6'7" tall, weighs 193 lbs , and plays shooting guard. He currently is the Pistons' team captain....
,
Hubert Davis and
Bobby SimmonsBobby Simmons is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Simmons played three years of college basketball for DePaul University...
. Cardinal was waived shortly after playing in only five games for the Wizards.
Pamesa Valencia
He spent the rest of the 2002–03 season playing in the
Spanish leagueThe Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
for Pamesa Valencia. He was instrumental in leading Pamesa to the
ULEB CupEurocup Basketball is the second-tier level transnational professional basketball competition in Europe. The Eurocup is the level that is one tier below the Turkish Airlines Euroleague level...
Championship.
2003–2004
After returning to the NBA, he signed with the
Golden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Cardinal had a breakthrough season with the Warriors, averaging nearly 10 points and 4 rebounds per game, appearing in 76 games. He was a finalist for the
NBA Most Improved Player AwardThe National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...
, eventually won by
Zach RandolphZachary Randolph , nicknamed Z-Bo, is an American professional basketball player currently with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA...
. On February 11, 2004, Cardinal scored a career high 32 points against the
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
and just three weeks later he had his career high of 14 rebounds against the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
on February 28.
2004–2008
After a breakthrough season in personal numbers and playing time, Cardinal signed as a
free agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the
Memphis GrizzliesThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, where he posted similar numbers from the previous season, averaging almost 6 points and 2.5 rebounds in the four seasons with the Grizzlies, while injuries diminished playing time. During the 2006–07 season, Brian held career highs of field goal percentage (.494) and free throw percentage (.926).
2008–2010
In June 2008, Cardinal was traded to the
Minnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
as part of an eight-player deal. Teamed with fellow forward
Kevin LoveKevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
in his eighth season in the NBA under head coach
Kevin McHaleKevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
and assistant coach
Jerry SichtingJerry Lee Sichting is a retired American basketball player in the NBA.-1972-1975:Jerry Sichting, the 6'1", 175 lb guard, attended Martinsville High School, located in Martinsville, Indiana...
, a former Boilermaker, Brian averaged 3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists a game for the 2008–09 season. He recorded his career high three blocks in a game against the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on March 13, 2009. In the 2009–10 season, while appearing in 27 games for the Wolves, he averaged a team-low 9 minutes per game and went 21–21 from the free-throw line. On February 17, 2010, Cardinal was traded to the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for
Darko MiličićDarko Miličić is a Serbian professional basketball center for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft after LeBron James, and ahead of players such as Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh,...
. He was subsequently waived by the Knicks. On March 23, he was re-signed by the Timberwolves.
2010–present
On September 27, 2010, Cardinal was signed by the
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
.
On May 8, 2011, Cardinal hit the 20th three pointer in Game 4 of the
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
and
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
series. His three pointer tied the record for most three pointers by a team in one playoff game with 20, which hadn't been done since the
Seattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
did it against the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
on May 6, 1996. Cardinal won his first NBA championship with the 2011 Mavericks in a six game playoff series against the
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
.
Regular season
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" |
DetroitThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
| 15 || 0 || 8.4 || .323 || .000 || .611 || 1.5 || .2 || .5 || .1 || 2.1
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Detroit
| 8 || 0 || 5.4 || .462 || .429 ||
1.000 || .8 || .3 || .1 || .0 || 2.1
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" |
WashingtonThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
| 5 || 0 || 3.0 || .250 || .000 ||
1.000 || 1.0 || .2 || .0 || .0 || .8
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" |
Golden StateThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
|
76 || 11 || 21.5 || .472 || .444 || .878 ||
4.2 || 1.4 || .9 ||
.3 ||
9.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" |
MemphisThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 58 ||
16 ||
24.7 || .370 || .352 || .873 || 3.9 ||
2.0 ||
1.5 ||
.3 || 9.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Memphis
| 36 || 0 || 11.2 || .414 || .448 || .704 || 1.5 || .9 || .6 || .0 || 3.4
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Memphis
| 28 || 1 || 11.2 ||
.494 || .409 || .926 || 2.1 || 1.1 || .8 || .0 || 4.5
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Memphis
| 37 || 1 || 11.9 || .341 || .309 || .684 || 2.6 || .6 || .3 || .1 || 3.4
|-
| align="left" |
2008–09The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" |
MinnesotaThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
| 64 || 4 || 14.2 || .385 || .326 || .857 || 2.2 || 1.2 || .6 || .2 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" |
2009–10The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Minnesota
| 29 || 0 || 9.2 || .389 || .333 || .944 || 1.0 || .8 || .3 || .1 || 1.7
|-
| align="left" |
2010–11The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" |
DallasThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
| 56 || 4 || 11.0 || .430 || .
483 || .944 || 1.1 || .7 || .4 || .1 || 2.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 412 || 37 || 15.0 || .413 || .386 || .861 || 2.5 || 1.1 || .7 || .2 || 5.0
Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |
2005The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| align="left" |
MemphisThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 4 || 0 ||
19.5 || .391 || .000 ||
.727 ||
3.0 ||
.5 ||
.8 || .0 ||
6.5
|-
| align="left" |
2006The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Memphis
| 3 || 0 || 7.3 || .500 || .500 || .000 || 1.3 || .3 || .3 || .0 || 1.0
|-
| align="left" |
2011The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" |
DallasThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
|
9 || 0 || 4.1 ||
.750 ||
.750 || .500 || .3 || .2 || .1 || .0 || 1.1
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 16 || 0 || 8.6 || .448 || .400 || .692 || 1.2 || .3 || .3 || .0 || 2.4
Personal life
Brian's father, Rod Cardinal, has been the
IlliniThe Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
's head basketball trainer at the University of Illinois for three decades. Brian served as a towel boy for the 1989 Illinois
Final FourThe 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington...
team. Brian is married to former walk-on Purdue standout, Danielle Bird. The couple is currently involved with donations to the Purdue University athletics, along with former Purdue quarterback,
Drew BreesDrew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
.
External links