Dylan Cardwell returns: 'I stuck it out because I love Auburn'

After contemplating entering the NBA Draft, the popular and productive big man returns for his fifth season on the Plains

AUBURN, Ala. – Dylan Cardwell found clarity at the beach thanks to his flip flops, his Bible and a list of pros and cons.

"It did take me a while to find peace," said Cardwell, who decided to return to Auburn for a fifth season during what he calls a recent "prayer vacation" to the beach. "Auburn's been great to me off the court but on the court, it's been a struggle that no one's really seen."

That struggle revolves around Cardwell's desire to play more. In four seasons, he's averaged 13.6 minutes per game. In year five, he's eager for a bigger role.

"I'm a very unselfish player," said Cardwell, who backed up NBA first-rounder Walker Kessler as a sophomore in 2021-22 when Auburn won the SEC regular season championship, and Johni Broome the past two seasons, with the latter becoming an All-American while both helped the Tigers win the 2024 SEC Tournament championship. "I've taken a backseat to two great players. Do I want to return for a fifth year, having these great memories at Auburn at the expense of being a role player? Or do I want to try to take a leap of faith and go to the NBA?"

Dylan doesn't just want to play in the NBA. He wants to stay in the NBA, for at least a decade.

"Figuring out what's the best option for me to achieve my goal," he said. "That was the biggest consideration. What's going to make me stay in the NBA for the longest time?"

Playing for a college basketball program other than Auburn never entered his mind.

"My heart was never on transferring," said Cardwell who graduated with honors in December from Auburn University's Harbert College of Business. "I'm an Auburn man through and through. What I've built here is special.

"I fell in love with the community here more than anything. No amount of NIL or playing time at another school could take that away from me. I stuck it out because I love Auburn."

After recording career highs in blocked shots (56), steals (22), points (5.3 per game) and assists (42) while shooting 70.9 percent from the field and 58.7 percent from the free-throw line, Cardwell aspires to add additional tools to his bag this summer and next season to prepare him for the NBA.

"Work on finishing around the basket," said Cardwell, a career 71.3-percent shooter. "Exploring hook shots, post moves, footwork, finishing with both hands, working on my 3-point game and working on driving the ball. Sounds like a lot but I'm very confident. I'm grateful for the opportunity to come back and work on these things."

Defensively, Cardwell also has a to-do list.

"I want to be a more lockdown defender," he said. "I love guarding. Being able to shut somebody's water off and not letting him get past you. I'm looking forward to adding my game."
 
The returns of Cardwell and Broome give Auburn a frontcourt that rivals any in college basketball. The prospect of both bigs playing at the same time should frighten anyone with designs on attacking the rim.

"We both have to expand our game tremendously for it to be able to work," Cardwell said. "It shows Bruce Pearl's trust in us if it does happen. It also makes us have a bigger role to play; maybe roles we're not used to, but roles we're going to have to figure out and mature if we're going to be a great team next year.

"I was very excited to see Johni come back. Guard play is important but at the end of the day, the people who are making runs in March have great frontcourts."

After helping Auburn make history with two SEC championships in the past three seasons, Dylan Cardwell – the ultimate Auburn man – came back for himself and for his school.

"Leave it all out there. Burn the boats," he said. "Give it my all every game. Being free, not afraid to fail. Making big plays, making big shots and defending along the way.

"Learning and putting myself in position to where I can get drafted in the first round. I believe I can do these things. Making sure that I'm putting myself in position to cement a legacy. I'll always be a member of the Auburn family. I want to win a national championship. I feel like we have the team to do it."
 Two-time SEC champion: Dylan Cardwell has helped Auburn win an SEC regular season title (2022) and an SEC Tournament crown (2024)

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer