Earl Gardner (basketball)

Earl Gardner is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'10" (2.08 m) center who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other professional leagues.

Gardner attended Salem High School in Salem, Virginia. He then played college basketball at Virginia Tech, where he was a four-year starter.

After college, Gardner was not drafted by an NBA team. He began his professional career playing in various international leagues and the Continental Basketball Association (CBA).

Gardner signed with the Washington Bullets (later Wizards) in 1999. He played sparingly for the Wizards, primarily as a reserve center. He subsequently played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors, again in a backup role.

Throughout his NBA career, Gardner was known for his rebounding and defensive presence, though he was not a significant scorer. He was primarily a role player who provided size and physicality off the bench.

After his NBA career, Gardner continued to play professionally in other leagues before retiring from basketball. Details regarding his post-basketball career and personal life are less readily available.