After the first tough preseason game, it's safe to say that Kings' fans might have a new favorite player. Dylan Cardwell dropped the highlight of the night while putting on a shooting clinic from the floor. And he's made it clear that he's ready to back up his teammates.
Basketball might not be hockey or football, but it is a physical game, especially the way Draymond Green plays it. The game is rough, particularly in the paint where elbows start flying and drives to the hoop turn into players hitting the floor incredibly hard.
Fights on the court happen, too. Not as frequently as hockey, of course, and far more frowned upon in the NBA. If you were a player for the Bad Boy Pistons, it was part of the job. That's still the case for some teams and players more than others.
Dylan Cardwell, Enforcer
An aspect of Cardwell's game that doesn't get talked about is how physical he is on the court. That's part of the reason he's good on defense and had a great scoring night in the preseason game against the Raptors. Despite being a rookie, he had basically no fear every minute he was on the court.
Dylan Cardwell said he “enjoys physicality” and credited his SEC experience for that mentality.
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) October 9, 2025
And he’ll be an enforcer for his teammates too.
“I love Zach [LaVine] to death, and if anybody fouls him this year, as long as Zach covers my fine, I will go to bat for Zach.” pic.twitter.com/8w3sgv0RCl
In a recent press scrum, Cardwell made it clear that he is comfortable with the nature of the NBA. He believes that the physicality of the SEC prepared him for it. That level of confidence without being arrogant is uncommon for a rookie and will benefit the Kings greatly.
Taking things a step further, Dylan is more than ready to play the enforcer on the court. He specifically highlighted Zach LaVine as someone whose back he's got in any situation. Well, as long as LaVine pays his fines. That could be a financial burden on a two-way contract.
Cardwell has that dog in him
A rookie who can score, play good defense, and isn't concerned about the physical nature of the NBA is an incredible asset to the Kings. They need more players who are hungry to get on the floor and do whatever it takes to win games.
Cardwell has all of that, and probably more. In fact, a lot of the rookies and young players seem more intense about being there than most of the veterans. That's not a surprise, though. The young guns still have that "new car smell" attitude when it comes to the game.
Fans need to hope that the front office and coaches see the potential someone like Cardwell brings to the Kings and put him to work. Naturally, more development is needed to refine and focus his talent. But Dylan is someone worth putting that work into.