Dylan Cardwell: 3 things to know about the Auburn men's basketball center

Before he was a top prospect, Dylan Cardwell mopped the floors as a ball boy at Peach Jam, the basketball prospect summer staple that takes place in North Augusta, South Carolina. He mopped the floors for three years, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

"I tell people I used to be a ball boy and they laugh," Cardwell said in 2018. "A 6-5 eighth-grader walking around with the 6-9 players, mopping up."

Cardwell got the opportunity to play in Peach Jam for the first time in 2018 on Team CP3 in the 16-and-under division.

Here's some basic information about Dylan Cardwell:

• Height: 6 feet, 11 inches

• Weight: 250 pounds

• Age: 20 years old

• Birthday: Dec. 16, 2001

• Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

• High schools: McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia; Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia; Evans High School in Evans, Georgia

Find out three more things to know about Auburn men's basketball center Dylan Cardwell.

Dylan Cardwell dancing became an Auburn football sensation

Dylan Cardwell's dancing became a sensation at Auburn football games during the 2021 season. He'd frequently be shown on the scoreboard during games dancing shirtless.

Auburn men's basketball head coach Bruce Pearl joined Cardwell for the Oct. 9 home game vs. Georgia.

Cardwell followed that up with more shirtless dancing during the Ole Miss game Oct. 30.

Dylan Cardwell couldn't play basketball his senior year of high school

Dylan Cardwell played his first two years of high school basketball at Evans High School in Evans, Georgia. He went to Oak Hill Academy for one year. He tried to transfer back to Georgia for his senior season in 2019-20.

He transferred to McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia, to play alongside future Auburn teammate Sharife Cooper. However, the Georgia High School Association ruled Cardwell ineligible.

"When he came in, we go through a process of turning things in to our state organization," McEachern head coach Mike Thompson said to Rivals in 2020. "They either yay or nay a kid on his eligibility, and they ruled him ineligible. We went through an appeals process, and they ruled him ineligible again, based on the second time we went in there. He and his mom went through a process of taking the situation to court because they were not very happy with the findings with the results of dealing with the [Georgia High School Association]."

Cardwell was relegated to practicing with the McEachern team throughout the 2019-20 season.

"Not being able to play my senior year hurt, it really did," Cardwell posted to Instagram on Feb. 14, 2020. "This past year has been a year of ups and downs and twists and turns. Not being able to play in front of my family one last time before I graduated really left a bad taste in my mouth. My faith was being tested, and I’ve grown a lot while weathering this storm. Though the ending didn’t go how I wanted it to, I must remember that this is God’s plan for me. And his plans are far much more greater than mine. Not being able to play this year was really a character building moment. I’ve grown and matured so much in this past year than in any other chapter of my life. Though I’m still trying to understand the lesson behind this, I must keep faith in the Lords plan and stay strong. I don’t know what’s next for me or what he has planned but I’m ready Lord, because you can’t bury a seed that’s meant to grow."

Dylan Cardwell played with Cole Anthony, Cam Thomas at Oak Hill Academy

Dylan Cardwell played high school basketball at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, during the 2018-19 season, and he had several highly talented teammates.

Among his teammates at Oak Hill Academy were Cole Anthony and Cam Thomas.

Cardwell averaged 3.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game. Thomas led the team in scoring at 26.2 points with 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Anthony averaged 18 points, 9.8 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game.

Anthony followed up his Oak Hill Academy career by playing at North Carolina, and he then a first-round 2020 NBA Draft pick by the Orlando Magic. Thomas went to LSU in 2020-21, and the Brooklyn Nets selected him in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Here's more Dylan Cardwell news:

• Dylan Cardwell: How Dylan Cardwell, zone helped save Auburn basketball without Walker Kessler

• Auburn men's basketball: Freshman Dylan Cardwell brings energy and more off Auburn basketball bench

• Dylan Cardwell: 3-star center Dylan Cardwell commits, gives Auburn much-needed big man

• Peach Jam: Evans' Dylan Cardwell realizes Peach Jam goal

Check out the Dylan Cardwell bio on the Auburn men's basketball website.

Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Dylan Cardwell: 3 facts on the Auburn Tigers men's basketball center