Cleveland Cavaliers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cleveland Cavaliers
Conference	Eastern
Division	Central
Founded	1970
History	Cleveland Cavaliers 1970–present
Arena	Rocket Arena
Location	Cleveland, Ohio
Team colors	Wine, gold, black
Main sponsor	Cleveland-Cliffs
CEO	Nic Barlage
President	Koby Altman
General manager	Mike Gansey
Head coach	Kenny Atkinson
Ownership	Dan Gilbert (majority) Gary Gilbert (minority) Usher Raymond (minority) Myles Garrett (minority)
Affiliation(s)	Cleveland Charge
Championships	1 (2016)
Conference titles	5 (2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
Division titles	8 (1976, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2025)
Retired numbers	7 (7, 11, 22, 25, 34, 42, 43)
Association Icon Statement

The Cleveland Cavaliers, often called the Cavs, are a professional basketball team from Cleveland, Ohio. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Cavs are part of the Eastern Conference and compete in the Central Division.

The team started playing in 1970 as a new expansion team. They joined the NBA along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Buffalo Braves. Their first home was the Cleveland Arena (1970-1974). Then they moved to the Richfield Coliseum (1974-1994). Since 1994, the Cavs have played at Rocket Arena in downtown Cleveland. They share this arena with the Cleveland Monsters hockey team. Dan Gilbert has owned the team since 2005.

The Cavaliers had a tough start, losing their first 15 games. They struggled for their first five seasons. In 1976, they won their first Central Division title. This was also their first winning season and playoff appearance. They even reached the Eastern Conference Finals that year.

In 1980, Ted Stepien bought the team. His time as owner was difficult, with many coaching changes and bad trades. The team lost a lot of money and games. They even had a 24-game losing streak in the early 1980s.

George and Gordon Gund bought the team in 1983. In the late 1980s and 1990s, the Cavs became a strong playoff team. Players like Mark Price and Brad Daugherty led them. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 1992. After 1998, the team had six losing seasons in a row.

In 2003, the Cavs got the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft. They chose LeBron James, a superstar from nearby Akron. With James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the Cavaliers became a playoff team again by 2005. They made their first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. They won their first Eastern Conference championship that year.

After not reaching the Finals for three more seasons, James left to join the Miami Heat in 2010. The Cavs then finished last in their conference in 2010-11. They had a 26-game losing streak, one of the longest in NBA history. However, between 2010 and 2014, the team won the top draft pick three times. They picked Kyrie Irving in 2011.

LeBron James returned to the Cavs in 2014 after winning two titles with the Heat. He led the team to four straight NBA Finals. In 2016, the Cavaliers won their first NBA Championship. This was Cleveland's first major sports title since 1964. They beat the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals. They were the first team in Finals history to win after being down 3-1 in the series.

The Cavaliers have made 25 playoff appearances. They have won eight Central Division titles, five Eastern Conference titles, and one NBA title.

Team History

The Cavaliers started playing in the 1970–71 season. They had losing records for their first five years. In 1976, they won their first division title. This team was led by Austin Carr, Bobby "Bingo" Smith, Jim Chones, Dick Snyder, and Nate Thurmond. Their coach was Bill Fitch. This season is famous for the "Miracle at Richfield". The Cavaliers beat the Washington Bullets 4-3 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They won Game 7 with a shot by Snyder with four seconds left. They moved on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time. However, they lost to the Boston Celtics 4-2. They made the playoffs in the next two seasons. Then they had a six-year playoff drought.

Cavaliers forward and Akron native LeBron James, who was the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft. A perennial NBA All-Star and a four-time NBA MVP winner, he led the team to its first NBA Finals in 2007 and their first championship in 2016.

The early 1980s were a tough time under owner Ted Stepien. He often traded away future draft picks for older players. Because of his deals, the NBA created the "Stepien Rule". This rule stops teams from trading first-round draft picks in back-to-back seasons. The Cavaliers won only 66 games and lost 180 during Stepien's three years. They also lost $15 million. The team had six different coaches during this time. In 1981-82, they finished with only 15 wins and 67 losses. They also had a 24-game losing streak. George and Gordon Gund bought the team from Stepien in 1983.

The Cavaliers made the playoffs 10 times between 1985 and 1998. The 1988–89 season was one of their best. They finished 57-25. Key players included Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Ron Harper, and Larry Nance. Their coach was Lenny Wilkens. They had another 57-win season in 1991-92. They reached the Eastern Conference Finals that year. However, from 1999 to 2005, the Cavaliers did not make the playoffs. In the 2002–03 season, they tied for the worst record in the NBA.

Dan Gilbert, who has owned the Cavaliers since 2005, with the team winning the 2016 NBA Championship under his watch.

The Cavaliers had the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft. They chose LeBron James, who became an NBA MVP. On January 3, 2005, businessman Dan Gilbert bought the team. The deal was final on March 1, 2005. That year, the team also hired coach Mike Brown and general manager Danny Ferry. The Cavaliers built a team around James and Žydrūnas Ilgauskas. They added players like Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, and Anderson Varajao. With this new leadership, the Cavaliers made the playoffs five times in a row from 2006 to 2010. They reached at least the second round each time.

The 2006–07 Cavaliers made it to the team's first NBA Finals. But they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. The 2008–09 Cavaliers won a team-record 66 games. They also had a great home record of 39-2. However, they lost the Eastern Conference Finals to the Orlando Magic. Even with four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal joining, the 2009–10 Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round.

After the playoffs, everyone wondered where LeBron James would go. On July 8, 2010, James announced he would sign with the Miami Heat. Many people in Cleveland were very upset. After a season with only 19 wins in 2010-11, the Cavaliers started rebuilding. They drafted Kyrie Irving first overall in the 2011 NBA draft.

In 2014, James returned to the Cavaliers. He had won two NBA titles with Miami. The Cavaliers had missed the playoffs every season while he was gone. The team made trades to build a championship team around James. They got Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves. This created a "Big Three" with James, Love, and Irving. The Cavaliers, led by LeBron, made four straight Finals appearances from 2015 to 2018. They played against the Golden State Warriors each time. They won the championship in 2016. This was the Cavaliers' first title ever. They were also the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the Finals. This ended Cleveland's long wait for a major sports championship.

The Cavaliers' team changed a lot in the 2017–18 season. Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics. The Cavs got Isaiah Thomas and other players. Thomas was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cavs added Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. (son of former Cavs star Larry Nance), and others. The next summer, James left again to sign with the Lakers. In the next two seasons, the team won only 19 games each year. They missed the playoffs.

In the first three seasons after James left the second time, the Cavaliers won a total of 60 games. They missed the playoffs each season. They also had four different head coaches. J.B. Bickerstaff became the head coach for the 2020-21 season.

Donovan Mitchell, who was traded to the Cavaliers on September 1, 2022 and has been an All-Star in all three seasons he has played for the Cavs.

In the 2021–22 season, the Cavs finished 44-38. They were eighth in the Eastern Conference. They qualified for the NBA play-in tournament. This was the first time the team played in this event. It was also the first time a team not led by LeBron made the postseason since 1997-98. However, they lost in the play-in tournament. They lost to the Brooklyn Nets and then to the Atlanta Hawks, ending their season.

On March 26, 2023, the Cavaliers secured a spot in the NBA playoffs. This was the first time since 2018. They won 108-91 against the Houston Rockets. It was also the first time since 1998 that the team made the playoffs without LeBron James. They lost their first-round playoff series to the New York Knicks 4-1.

On October 25, 2023, Myles Garrett, a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, bought a small ownership share in the Cavaliers. Garrett also serves as an ambassador for the team.

The Cavaliers made the 2024 NBA Playoffs as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. They beat the Orlando Magic 4-3 in the first round. But they lost to the Boston Celtics 4-1 in the Conference Semifinals.

On November 6, 2024, the Cavaliers set a new team record for the best start to a season. They beat the New Orleans Pelicans 131-122, making their record 9-0.

After a 128-114 win against the Charlotte Hornets on November 17, 2024, the Cavaliers started the season 15-0. This is tied for the second-best start in team history. They are only the fourth team to reach this milestone. The other teams were the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors, the 1993-1994 Houston Rockets, and the 1948-1949 Washington Capitols. This 15-0 start was also the Cavaliers’ longest winning streak ever.

On November 19, 2024, the Boston Celtics ended the Cavaliers' 15-0 start and 15-game winning streak. The Celtics won 120-117, giving the Cavaliers their first loss of the season.

Current head coach Kenny Atkinson

Team Uniforms and Logos

Original Colors: Wine and Gold

When the Cleveland Cavaliers started in 1970, their main colors were wine and gold. Their first jerseys had a special "C" in "Cavaliers" that looked like a feather. In 1974, they changed to a classic block lettering style with a checkerboard pattern. This look is famous from the "Miracle of Richfield" team of 1976. In 1980, the gold color became more metallic. The uniforms removed the checkerboard and added stripes above "Cleveland" and below the number.

The first logo showed a swashbuckling cavalier (a brave, adventurous person) with a sword. He was looking to the right, surrounded by the team name and a basketball. A newer version of this logo was used by the Cavs' minor league team, the Canton Charge. The gold checkerboard uniforms were worn again in 2004-05 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the "Miracle of Richfield" team. The gold "feathered C" uniforms were used again in 2008-09. The "Miracle of Richfield" gold uniforms were also worn in 2015-16 for special "Hardwood Classic" nights.

Blue and Orange Era

In the 1983-84 season, the team colors changed to burnt orange, blue, and white. The first uniforms with these new colors had the Cavaliers logo (with a "V" shaped like a hoop) in an arch. Orange was the main color for both home and away jerseys. However, in the 1987-88 season, blue became the main color. Orange was used less. The city name was added to the blue away uniforms in 1989-90. The orange version of the uniform was worn again in 2006-07 and 2016-17 to celebrate team anniversaries. The blue versions were worn in 2009-10 to honor the 1988-89 team.

Blue, Black, and Orange Era

When the team moved to Gund Arena in 1994-95, the logos and uniforms changed again. Black was added to the blue, orange, and white colors. The uniforms had a blue splash design on the front. From 1994 to 1997, the word "CAVS" on home jerseys was orange with black outlines. The numbers were black with white outlines. On road jerseys, "CLEVELAND" was orange with black outlines. From 1997 to 1999, the lettering and numbers were slightly changed. The blue splash moved from the right leg to the left leg.

In the 1999-2000 season, the Cavaliers went for a simpler look. They removed the splash design. They added an orange and blue line that went down the shorts. The home jerseys had the team nickname in blue with black outlines. The away jerseys had the city name in white with blue outlines. These jerseys were used until 2002-03. The logo during this time showed a basketball going into a net.

The black uniforms from 1994-1996 were brought back for the 2019-20 season. This celebrated the Cavaliers' 50th season and the 25th anniversary of moving to Gund Arena.

Return to Wine, Metallic Gold, and Navy

The Cavaliers went back to a changed version of their classic wine-and-gold colors in 2003-04. They used metallic gold and a darker wine color, with navy blue added. The home uniform was white with "Cavaliers" in wine lettering and gold trim. The road uniform was wine-colored with "Cleveland" in white lettering and gold trim. They also had an alternate navy blue jersey. This jersey had a checkerboard pattern, like the original 1970s uniforms. The logo was a gold sword going through "Cleveland Cavaliers" with a wine basketball around it.

Wine, Mustard Gold, and Navy

New uniforms were introduced before the 2010–11 NBA season. These uniforms brought back the original shades of wine and gold from 1970 to 1983. The home uniform is white with wine-and-gold stripes. "CAVALIERS" is in wine on the front. The road uniform is wine-colored with "Cleveland" in gold. An alternate gold jersey was added for the 2012-13 season. All uniforms have the team motto, "All for one. One for all.", stitched inside the collar. The "Sword C" logo is on the side of the shorts. The logo used is the same piercing sword logo, updated to the classic wine-and-gold colors.

For the 2014-15 season, a second alternate jersey was added. This one was navy blue, like the 1987-1994 style. It had "CAVS" and the player's number in wine with gold trim.

Wine, Mustard Gold, Navy, and Black

50th anniversary logo used during 2019–20 season

Two more alternate jerseys were shown before the 2015-16 season. One wine uniform was like their regular road jersey but with an arched 1980s Cavs logo. A black sleeved uniform had a wine "C" logo on the front. This black jersey was famously worn when they won Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. Their logos for the 2017-18 season included black to celebrate this victory.

Starting in the 2017–18 season, all NBA teams switched to Nike-designed uniforms. The Cavaliers' "Icon" uniforms were wine-colored with "Cleveland" across the front. The white "Association" uniforms had "Cavs" across the front. Both had gold lettering and navy blue numbers. The Cavs' jerseys also have a small Goodyear logo as part of a sponsorship.

Nike also provides a third uniform called the "Statement" uniform. The Cavaliers' Statement uniform is black with dark gray pinstripes. It has a wine-colored "C" logo trimmed in gold on the front. This black jersey is a nod to the black-sleeved jerseys they wore when they won the 2016 Finals.

Wine, Metallic Gold, and Black (New Look)

Cavaliers' "V-net" logo - a modified version of similar logos used in the 1980s and 1990s that the team began using in 2022.

For the 2022–23 NBA season, the Cavaliers revealed new logos and colors. They removed navy blue and went back to the metallic gold used from 1980-1983 and 2003-2010. The "C-sword" logo was retired. A new "V-net" logo was introduced. This logo combines styles from the 1980s and 1990s logos with the current writing style.

With the new logo, the team also introduced three new uniforms:

• The white "Association" uniform has a wine-colored "V-net" logo trimmed in gold on the front.
• The wine "Icon" uniform has "Cleveland" in gold lettering on the chest.
• The black "Statement" uniform has a wine "Cavs C" logo outlined in gold on the front. This uniform honors the black uniforms from their 2016 championship.

Special "City Edition" Uniforms

Nike also creates a fourth uniform called the "City Edition". These uniforms honor the city of Cleveland and the state of Ohio.

• In 2017-18, the "City Edition" uniform was gray with "The Land" (a Cleveland nickname) across the front.
• In 2018-19, it was orange and blue with a zigzag pattern. It had "Cleveland" written across the front. The court at Rocket Arena was even changed to match these colors for home games.
• In 2019-20, the "City Edition" was navy blue with "CLE" in gold letters. This was like the team's original 1970 uniforms.
• In 2020-21, the "City Edition" was black. "CLEVELAND" was on the front, with each letter in a different font. This honored the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and various artists.
• In 2021-22, the "City Edition" was wine-colored with gold letters. It featured a mix of the team's logos from different eras.
• In 2022-23, the "City Edition" was white with tan lettering and light blue accents. This honored the Cleveland Metroparks.
• In 2023-24, the "City Edition" was wine with gold letters and fancy gold trim. This honored Cleveland's Playhouse Square theater district.
• For the 2024-25 season, the "City Edition" uniforms are light blue. They have "The Land" in white letters on the front. Sketch drawings of the Cavs logo and Cleveland landmarks are on the sides. This honors the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Home Arenas

Scene of the 2017–18 season opener in then Quicken Loans Arena

• Cleveland Arena (1970–1974)
• Coliseum at Richfield (1974–1994)
• Rocket Arena (1994–present)

Practice Facility

The team's practice facility and main office is called Cleveland Clinic Courts. It is located in Independence. The building is 50,000 square feet. It opened in 2007. It has two basketball courts, a weight room, team rooms, offices, and medical facilities. The Cleveland Clinic holds the naming rights. In 2016, the city of Independence renamed the road leading to the facility "Cavaliers Way" to celebrate the NBA Championship.

Team Personnel

Retired Numbers

The Cavaliers have honored several past players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear that number.

Other Honored Personnel

The Cavaliers also honor other important people who contributed to the team.

Other honored personnel
Insignia	Name	Role	Years	Date Honored
	Joe Tait	Broadcaster	1970–1981; 1983–2011	April 8, 2011
	Nick Gilbert	Late son of Cavs owner Dan Gilbert		March 3, 2024

• The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all its teams on August 11, 2022.

Wall of Honor

In 2019, the Cavaliers started the Wall of Honor. It celebrates former players and staff. It is located in the North Atrium of the renovated Rocket Arena.

Note: All personnel with retired numbers or banners are also in the Wall of Honor.

Basketball Hall of Famers

These are players and staff who spent time with the Cavaliers and are now in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Notes:

• ¹ Wilkens was inducted three times: as a player, as a coach, and as part of the 1992 Olympic team.
• ² Daly was inducted twice: as a coach and as part of the 1992 Olympic team.
• ³ Embry was honored for being the first African American to manage an NBA team.
• ⁴ Wade was inducted twice: as a player and as part of the 2008 Olympic team.

Curt Gowdy Award Winners

Former longtime Cavs broadcaster Joe Tait, who won the Curt Gowdy Award in 2010.

• Joe Tait – 2010 (team announcer 1970–1981; 1983–2011)

Team Records and Awards

Franchise Leaders (Points Scored)

These are the top players in points scored for the Cavaliers during the regular season, as of the 2024–25 NBA season. Bold means they are still with the team. Italic means they are still playing but not with the team.

Other Top Performers (Regular Season)

These tables show other top players in different statistics for the Cavaliers, as of the 2024–25 NBA season.

Individual Awards

Many Cavaliers players and coaches have won important NBA awards.

NBA All-Star Weekend

The NBA All-Star Weekend is a fun event where the league's best players show off their skills.

Media Coverage

Former Cavs All-Star guard and longtime TV analyst Austin Carr

Radio Broadcasts

WTAM (1100 AM/106.9 FM) and WMMS (100.7 FM) are the main radio stations for the Cavaliers. Tim Alcorn does the play-by-play. Former Cavaliers star Jim Chones is the analyst. Mike Snyder hosts the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows.

TV Broadcasts

Cavaliers games are shown on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio. Some games are also shown on WUAB channel 43 and other local channels. The TV team includes play-by-play announcer John Michael and sideline reporter Serena Winters. Former Cavaliers players Austin Carr and Brad Daugherty take turns as analysts.

Cayleigh Griffin and former Cavaliers guard Daniel "Boobie" Gibson host the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows when Carr is the game analyst. When Daugherty is the game analyst, Carr takes Gibson's place on the pregame/halftime/postgame shows.

Team Mascots

Current mascots Sir C.C. (left) and Moondog (right)

Mid 1990s/early 2000s-era mascot Whammer

Current Mascots

The Cavaliers have two official mascots: Moondog and Sir C.C.

• Moondog was inspired by Cleveland radio DJ Alan Freed. Freed helped make "rock and roll" music popular. Moondog first appeared on November 5, 2003.
• Sir C.C. is a swashbuckler character. He first appeared during a game on November 27, 2010.

Past Mascots

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Cavs had a polar bear mascot named Whammer. He was introduced on November 9, 1995. Whammer still makes occasional appearances at Cavaliers games.

See also

In Spanish: Cleveland Cavaliers para niños