Thomas Gardner graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Portland, OR in 2003. He went on to the University of Missouri on a full athletic scholarship, where he played three seasons, tallying 19.7 ppg as a junior for the Tigers. Gardner left Missouri early in 2006 to pursue his dream of playing professional basketball. He went undrafted in the 2006 NBA Draft and spent what would've been his senior season in Missouri playing for Verviers-Pepinster in Belgium, where he helped lead the team to the Belgium Cup semifinals.

In 2007 his dream became reality as he was invited to play for the Chicago Bulls summer league team in Orlando and Utah. Gardner was impressive as he led the team in scoring at 16.8ppg and was offered a one year non-guaranteed contract by the Bulls. In 2008 Gardner again impressed in summer league, as he averaged a team high 16.3 ppg for the Atlanta Hawks, during the Rocky Mountain Revue, hitting .480 FG and .467 3FG. His efforts were rewarded with a one year guaranteed deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

In 2011, Gardner decided to step away from professional basketball to be a father to his now 7 year old son Quincy.  Gardner is now in his 3rd season as the Lead Development Youth Coach for the Portland Trail Blazers and his 8th year as the director of his own youth basketball academy, now known as Portland Supreme.