Chris Andersen, widely known as “Birdman,” is a retired American professional basketball player who played primarily at center and power forward. Standing 6-foot-10, Andersen was best known for his shot-blocking, rebounding, athleticism and high-energy defensive play. He entered the NBA in 2001 and played for several teams during a professional career that included more than a decade in the league. Andersen spent significant portions of his NBA career with the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. He won an NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2013 as part of the team’s title-winning roster. His NBA career statistics reflect his role as a defensive-minded big man, particularly in rebounds and blocks.
Chris Andersen Career Information
Category
Details
Full Name
Chris Claus Andersen
Date of Birth
July 7, 1978
Nationality
American
Position
Center / Power Forward
Height
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Weight
245 lb (111 kg)
Last Team
Cleveland Cavaliers
Draft Year
2001
Draft Pick
Undrafted
Professional Career
2001–2017
Jersey Number
11
Chris Andersen NBA Career Stats
Statistic
Career Total
Games
695
Games Started
164
Minutes
12,918
Points
4,064
Rebounds
3,472
Assists
464
Steals
369
Blocks
1,221
Turnovers
572
Personal Fouls
1,925
Chris Andersen Per Game Career Stats
Statistic
Per Game
Points
5.9
Rebounds
5.0
Assists
0.7
Steals
0.5
Blocks
1.8
Turnovers
0.8
Minutes
18.6
Chris Andersen Shooting Stats
Statistic
Career Record
Field Goals Made
1,385
Field Goals Attempted
2,648
Field Goal Percentage
52.3%
Three-Pointers Made
11
Three-Pointers Attempted
50
Three-Point Percentage
22.0%
Free Throws Made
1,283
Free Throws Attempted
1,748
Free Throw Percentage
73.4%
Effective FG Percentage
52.5%
Chris Andersen Season-by-Season Stats
Season
Team
Games
PPG
RPG
APG
2001-02
Denver Nuggets
24
5.2
3.2
0.3
2002-03
Denver Nuggets
59
5.0
4.6
0.5
2003-04
Denver Nuggets
71
6.1
6.1
0.5
2004-05
New Orleans Hornets
67
7.7
6.1
0.4
2005-06
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
55
5.0
4.9
0.3
2006-07
Denver Nuggets
32
3.7
3.8
0.3
2007-08
Denver Nuggets
28
5.0
4.5
0.2
2008-09
Denver Nuggets
20
2.7
2.9
0.3
2009-10
Denver Nuggets
47
5.2
4.3
0.4
2010-11
Denver Nuggets
45
5.6
4.9
0.5
2011-12
Denver Nuggets
32
5.3
4.6
0.4
2012-13
Miami Heat
42
4.9
4.1
0.4
2013-14
Miami Heat
72
6.6
5.3
0.3
2014-15
Miami Heat
61
5.3
4.1
0.3
2015-16
Memphis Grizzlies
27
2.6
2.1
0.1
2016-17
Cleveland Cavaliers
12
2.3
2.4
0.3
Chris Andersen Playoff Stats
Statistic
Playoff Total
Games
80
Points
399
Rebounds
386
Assists
40
Steals
33
Blocks
117
Chris Andersen Playoff Per Game Stats
Statistic
Per Game
Points
5.0
Rebounds
4.8
Assists
0.5
Steals
0.4
Blocks
1.5
Chris Andersen International Stats
Chris Andersen did not establish a significant senior international statistical record with the United States national team, so no separate international statistics table is included.
Chris Andersen Career Highs
Statistic
Career High
Points
21
Rebounds
18
Assists
4
Steals
4
Blocks
7
Chris Andersen Awards & Achievements
Achievement
Total
NBA Championships
1
NBA All-Star Selections
0
All-NBA Selections
0
Defensive Team Selections
0
Rookie of the Year
0
Other Major Achievement
2013 NBA Champion
Andersen’s biggest team achievement came with the Miami Heat, when he helped the franchise win the 2013 NBA championship.
Chris Andersen Team Career
Team
Seasons
Games
Points
Denver Nuggets
2001-2004
154
828
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
2004-2006
122
667
Denver Nuggets
2006-2012
204
1,001
Miami Heat
2012-2015
175
958
Memphis Grizzlies
2015-2016
27
70
Cleveland Cavaliers
2016-2017
12
28
Total
—
694
3,552
Chris Andersen Position-Specific Statistics
As a center and power forward, Andersen’s statistical value was primarily reflected in rebounding and shot blocking. His 1.8 blocks per game for his NBA career demonstrate his importance as a rim protector, while his 5.0 rebounds per game highlight his work on the glass.
Category
Career Figure
Points Per Game
5.9
Rebounds Per Game
5.0
Blocks Per Game
1.8
Steals Per Game
0.5
Field Goal Percentage
52.3%
Free Throw Percentage
73.4%
Offensive Rebounds Per Game
1.8
Defensive Rebounds Per Game
3.2
Chris Andersen Career Records & Milestones
Record
Achievement
Career Points
4,064
Highest Scoring Game
21 points
Highest Rebound Game
18 rebounds
Highest Assist Game
4 assists
Highest Steal Game
4 steals
Highest Block Game
7 blocks
Career Blocks
1,221
NBA Championship
1
Andersen finished his NBA career with more than 1,200 blocked shots, establishing shot blocking as the defining statistical category of his professional career.
Chris Andersen Career Summary
Chris Andersen finished his NBA career with 695 games, 4,064 points, 3,472 rebounds, 464 assists and 1,221 blocks. He averaged 5.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 52.3% from the field and 73.4% from the free-throw line. Andersen appeared in 80 playoff games and contributed 399 points, 386 rebounds and 117 blocks during the postseason. Best known for his defensive presence and shot-blocking ability, Andersen won one NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2013 and established himself as one of the league’s recognizable defensive big men of his era.
