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The Brooklyn Nets have signed a Long Island native to their roster ahead of training camp.
Patrick Gardner, a Merrick native, inked a deal with the team on Friday, his agent George S. Langberg confirmed to HoopsHype.
The 6-foot-11 center agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract, a one-year, non-guaranteed minimum deal. These contracts are typically used for young, developing players competing for roster spots.
Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals, allowing younger players to split their time between a club’s G-League team and the main roster. This gives Gardner a chance to earn a promotion if he performs well in training camp and the preseason
The Nets report to camp on Oct. 1.
Gardner, who played for Kellenberg High School in Uniondale, told Greater Long Island after the signing that he’s excited to stay local and is “ready to compete and try to win many games.”
If he doesn’t make the main roster, he could be waived and still land with the Long Island Nets, a team he’s quite familiar with.
Last season, Gardner played for the Long Island Nets, the G-League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. He appeared in 18 games, averaging 8.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game, while shooting an impressive 44.8% from three-point range.
“Patrick Gardner can shoot it and put it on the floor,” the former LI Nets GM J.R. Holden told Greater Long Island last season when Gardner was signed. “We like his upside, so we’re excited about him hopefully making the team and continuing to grow.”
Gardner’s journey has been anything but traditional.
He started at Nassau Community College, where he helped lead his team to the NJCAA Division III national championship game in 2018 and the national quarterfinals in 2020. He then played a season at Division II Saint Michael’s College in Vermont before finishing his college career at Marist. In his senior season with the Red Foxes, he averaged 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1 block per game.
Before signing with the Long Island Nets, Gardner played in the 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas for the Miami Heat.
Gardner is also a member of the Egyptian National Team, where he participated in an Olympic Qualifying Tournament game against Greece, scoring six points in a loss. He also played in last summer’s FIBA World Cup.
Check out his highlights
Top: Long Island native Patrick Gardner during his playing days for the Marist Red Foxes. (Credit: goredfoxes.com)
