Brian Cardinal
Encyclopedia
Brian Lee Cardinal nicknamed "The Custodian" or "The Janitor", is an American
professional basketball
player. Prior to being drafted to the NBA, Cardinal played college basketball
at Purdue University
.
in Tolono, Illinois
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.
in West Lafayette, Indiana
to play under head coach Gene Keady
and assistant coaches Frank Kendrick
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 Michigan
with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Along with Juniors Brad Miller
and Chad Austin, he helped lead the Boilermakers
to an NCAA Tournament
Second Round appearance.
appearance.
. Along with teammate Jaraan Cornell
, 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.
to an Elite Eight
appearance in 2000 during his Senior year and to a 24–10 record.
'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, ESPN
's Jay Williams
compared North Carolina
'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.
by the Detroit Pistons
. During his rookie season, playing in only 15 games, he had his best game against the Toronto Raptors
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.
along with Jerry Stackhouse
and Ratko Varda
, for Richard Hamilton
, Hubert Davis and Bobby Simmons
. Cardinal was waived shortly after playing in only five games for the Wizards.
He spent the rest of the 2002–03 season playing in the Spanish league
for Pamesa Valencia. He was instrumental in leading Pamesa to the ULEB Cup
Championship.
. 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 Award
, eventually won by Zach Randolph
. On February 11, 2004, Cardinal scored a career high 32 points against the Phoenix Suns
and just three weeks later he had his career high of 14 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls
on February 28.
with the Memphis Grizzlies
, 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).
as part of an eight-player deal. Teamed with fellow forward Kevin Love
in his eighth season in the NBA under head coach Kevin McHale
and assistant coach Jerry Sichting
, 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 Knicks
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 Knicks
for Darko Miličić
. He was subsequently waived by the Knicks. On March 23, he was re-signed by the Timberwolves.
.
On May 8, 2011, Cardinal hit the 20th three pointer in Game 4 of the Dallas Mavericks
and Los Angeles Lakers
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 SuperSonics
did it against the Houston Rockets
on May 6, 1996. Cardinal won his first NBA championship with the 2011 Mavericks in a six game playoff series against the Miami Heat
.
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" | Detroit
| 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" | Washington
| 5 || 0 || 3.0 || .250 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.0 || .2 || .0 || .0 || .8
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Golden State
| 76 || 11 || 21.5 || .472 || .444 || .878 || 4.2 || 1.4 || .9 || .3 || 9.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Memphis
| 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" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Minnesota
| 64 || 4 || 14.2 || .385 || .326 || .857 || 2.2 || 1.2 || .6 || .2 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Minnesota
| 29 || 0 || 9.2 || .389 || .333 || .944 || 1.0 || .8 || .3 || .1 || 1.7
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Dallas
| 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
| align="left" | 2005
| align="left" | Memphis
| 4 || 0 || 19.5 || .391 || .000 || .727 || 3.0 || .5 || .8 || .0 || 6.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006
| align="left" | Memphis
| 3 || 0 || 7.3 || .500 || .500 || .000 || 1.3 || .3 || .3 || .0 || 1.0
|-
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Dallas
| 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
's head basketball trainer at the University of Illinois for three decades. Brian served as a towel boy for the 1989 Illinois Final Four
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 Brees
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball 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 basketball
College basketball
College 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 University
Purdue University
Purdue 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 (Tolono, Illinois)
Unity 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, Illinois
Tolono, Illinois
Tolono 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
Purdue 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, Indiana
West Lafayette, Indiana
As 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 Keady
Gene Keady
Lloyd 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 Kendrick
Frank Kendrick
Frank 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 Michigan
Western Michigan
West 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 Miller
Brad Miller (basketball)
Bradley Alan Miller is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA...
and Chad Austin, he helped lead the Boilermakers
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The 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 Tournament
1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 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 Sixteen1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 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 MichiganMichigan Wolverines men's basketball
The 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 Cornell
Jaraan Cornell
Jaraan 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 BoilermakersPurdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The 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 Eight
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 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 KramerChris Kramer
Christopher 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, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment 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 Williams
Jay Williams (basketball)
Jason 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 Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The 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 Draft2000 NBA Draft
The 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 Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The 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 Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The 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 WizardsWashington Wizards
The 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 Stackhouse
Jerry Stackhouse
Jerry 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 Varda
Ratko Varda
Ratko Varda is a professional basketball player. He is a 2.13 m center who plays for Union Olimpija.-Career:...
, for Richard Hamilton
Richard Hamilton (basketball)
Richard "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 Simmons
Bobby Simmons
Bobby 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 league
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The 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 Cup
ULEB Cup
Eurocup 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 WarriorsGolden State Warriors
The 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 Award
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The 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 Randolph
Zach Randolph
Zachary 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 Suns
Phoenix Suns
The 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 Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The 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 agentFree agent
In 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 Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The 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 TimberwolvesMinnesota Timberwolves
The 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 Love
Kevin Love
Kevin 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 McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin 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 Sichting
Jerry Sichting
Jerry 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 Knicks
New York Knicks
The 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 Knicks
New York Knicks
The 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 Miličić
Darko Milicic
Darko 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 MavericksDallas Mavericks
The 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 Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The 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 Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The 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 SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The 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 Rockets
Houston Rockets
The 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 Heat
Miami Heat
The 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" | Detroit
Detroit Pistons
The 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" | Washington
Washington Wizards
The 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 State
Golden State Warriors
The 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" | Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The 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" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 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" | Minnesota
Minnesota Timberwolves
The 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" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 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" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 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" | Dallas
Dallas Mavericks
The 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" | 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 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" | Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The 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" | 2006
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 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" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 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" | Dallas
Dallas Mavericks
The 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 IlliniIllinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The 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 Four
1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 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 Brees
Drew Brees
Drew 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....
.