David Emil Andersen was born on the 23rd of June 1980. At the Royal Women's Hospital in Carlton to his parents Mary and Danny. He has three brothers and one sister Brett, Nina, Stuart and Grant. David is the second youngest. He grew up in Frankston, Victoria in the house his parent still live in.
 David starting playing basketball at Frankston East primary school with his older brother Stuart and his Mum coaching at the age of five. David played a year ahead in Stuarts age group all through primary school because he was taller than most his age and there was only one team at his school. For three years in primary school he played many sports before deciding to play only basketball.
At the age of 11 he joined the Frankston Blues Junior Basketball Club and in his first season his Under 12's team won the Championship. David was very tall and slim at a young age. David played with Frankston Blues Junior Program until he was 15 years old. He had grown to 197cm tall when he played his first televised game for the Frankston Blues Mens Team. It was the South Eastern Mens Conference Final. He was noticed by the Australian Institute of Sport head coach Gordie Mcloud.
David Played for State of Victoria at the Under 16 Australian Junior Championships and was Selected for the Australian Institute of Sport Basketball Development Program. He moved away from his home and family to Improve his Basketball Skills at the AIS in Australia's Capital, Canberra. David played at the AIS for 3 years and grew 15cm.
 David Andersen played for Australia at the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament where he was voted the MVP. He also played for Australia in the Under 20's and Under 22's World Championships. At the Age of 17 David Signed his first professional contract playing in the National Basketball League with the South East Melbourne Magic. Just after signing, a merger between the Magic and the North Melbourne Giants left David a free agent. He then signed with the Wollongong Hawks. David once again moved away from the family home to Wollongong in New South Wales. He Played one year on his two year contract Before signing with European basketball club Virtus Bologna from Italy.
 David played four years with Virtus Bologna wining two Italian National Cups, an Italian National Championship and the Euroleague Championship in 2001. In 2002 David became the seventh Australian to be selected in the NBA Draft. David was the 37th pick for the Atlanta Hawks. In spring 2003 David Signed a new Contract with Montepaschi Siena from Italy. David lead his team the the Italian National Championship and was Voted Most Valuable Player in the Finals series. Returning to Australia in the off season David was selected to play in the Australian National team, Playing in the Olympic qualifying series against New Zealand. Australia won the series earning a spot at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The following year David was selected to represent Australia at the 2004 Olympic games for the first time.
2004 was a big change for David moving away from Italy to play for Russian Club CSKA Moscow. In his first season with CSKA Moscow David was named in the All-Euroleague First team 2004-05. He has since won three Russian National Championships and three Russian Cups in a row with CSKA since signing with the club. David has won his second and third Euroleague Championships with CSKA Moscow in 2006 and 2008. David won his 4th straight Russian National Championship in 2008. David signed with FC Barcelona in June 2008. |
