Christopher Claus Andersen (born July 7, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Birdman" for his wingspan and blocking prowess, Andersen was born in Long Beach, California, grew up in Iola, Texas, and played one year at Blinn College. Andersen began his professional career in the Chinese Basketball Association and the American minor leagues. After getting called up to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from the NBA D-League, Andersen would go on to play for the Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Hornets. He received a two-year ban from the NBA in 2006 for violating the league's drug policy, but was reinstated on March 4, 2008, and re-signed with the Hornets the next day. He returned to Denver later in 2008, and remained with the team until 2012. Andersen signed with the Miami Heat in January 2013 and won a championship with them that same year. He and Oliver Lafayette are the only Blinn students to ever play in the NBA. He most recently played for the Dallas Power in the Big3 league, helping them win the 2018 Big3 championship.