Table of Contents
Cleveland Cavaliers
Founded in 1970
The Cleveland Cavaliers joined the NBA as an expansion team.1)
A Name Chosen by Fans
The team name “Cavaliers” was selected through a fan contest, beating “Jays,” “Foresters,” and “Presidents.”2)
First-Ever Draft Pick
The Cavs selected Austin Carr with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1971 NBA Draft.3)
First Playoff Success (1976)
The Cavaliers won their first division title in 1976.4)
The Miracle of Richfield
A thrilling 1976 playoff run ended in the Eastern Conference Finals.5)
Original Home Arena
The team played at Richfield Coliseum before moving to Gund Arena (now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse) in 1994.6)
The King Arrives
The Cavaliers drafted LeBron James No. 1 overall in 2003.7)
Rookie of the Year
LeBron won the 2004 NBA Rookie of the Year award.8)
First NBA Finals Appearance
LeBron led the team to the 2007 NBA Finals, but they were swept by the Spurs.9)
Franchise Record for Wins
The Cavs won 66 games in the 2008-09 season.10)
LeBron’s Back-to-Back MVPs
LeBron won NBA MVP awards in 2009 and 2010.11)
The Decision (2010)
LeBron left Cleveland for the Miami Heat, causing massive controversy.12)
Winning the Draft Lottery
The Cavs had the No. 1 pick three times (2011, 2013, 2014).13)
Kyrie Irving Joins the Cavs
The team selected Kyrie Irving first overall in 2011, who won Rookie of the Year.14)
LeBron Returns (2014)
LeBron announced his return to Cleveland, promising to win a championship.15)
First NBA Title (2016)
The Cavaliers won their first-ever NBA Championship.16)
Historic Comeback
They became the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals.17)
Kyrie’s Clutch Three
Kyrie Irving hit the game-winning three-pointer in Game 7.18)
LeBron’s Legendary Block
His iconic chase-down block on Andre Iguodala is one of the most famous plays in NBA history.19)
LeBron’s Triple-Double
He recorded the first-ever triple-double in a Game 7 of the NBA Finals.20)
Four Straight Finals Meetings
The Cavs and Golden State Warriors met in four consecutive NBA Finals (2015-2018).21)
Beating the 73-9 Warriors
The Cavaliers defeated the Warriors, who had the best regular-season record in NBA history.22)
The LeBron vs. Curry Era
The rivalry between LeBron James and Stephen Curry became a defining moment in NBA history.23)
LeBron Leaves Again (2018)
He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, ending his second stint with the Cavs.24)
Young Stars Take Over
The team rebuilt around Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.25)
Donovan Mitchell Joins the Cavs
In 2022, the team traded for Donovan Mitchell, making them contenders again.26)
The Mark Price Era
Mark Price and Brad Daugherty led the Cavs in the late '80s and early '90s.27)
Zydrunas Ilgauskas' Legacy
The fan-favorite big man had his jersey retired by the team.28)
Larry Nance Sr.’s Impact
His No. 22 jersey was retired, and his son Larry Nance Jr. later played for the team.29)
Kevin Love’s Contributions
A key piece of the 2016 championship team and longtime leader.30)
LeBron’s Franchise Records
He is the Cavs' all-time leader in points, assists, and steals.31)
Longest Win Streak
The Cavaliers won 18 straight games during the 2017-18 season.32)
Six No. 1 Draft Picks
The Cavs have had six first-overall draft picks in franchise history.33)
Team Mascots
The Cavs have multiple mascots, including Moondog and Sir C.C.34)
Pioneering Jersey Innovation
They were the first NBA team to wear short-sleeved jerseys in a game.35)
Highest-Scoring Game
LeBron James holds the franchise record for most points in a game (57 in 2017).36)
Largest Home Crowd
The Cavs set an NBA record with 20,562 fans at a 2014 game.37)
Jordan’s "The Shot"
Michael Jordan’s legendary buzzer-beater in the 1989 Playoffs was against Craig Ehlo of the Cavs.38)
Featured in "Space Jam 2"
The Cavaliers were highlighted in the LeBron James-led movie.39)
A Famous Quote
LeBron’s “Cleveland, this is for you!” speech after the 2016 Finals became legendary.40)
Cavs Care Program
The team is known for its extensive community outreach efforts.41)
NBA 2K League Representation
The Cavs Legion GC represents Cleveland in the NBA 2K League.42)
Loyal Fanbase
Cleveland has some of the most passionate and loyal fans in the NBA.43)
G-League Affiliate
The Cavaliers’ G-League team is the Cleveland Charge.44)
Arena Name Changes
The team’s home has been known as Gund Arena, Quicken Loans Arena, and now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.45)