The Cavaliers are 13 days from the start of the regular season, and that number has a little franchise history attached to it.
The first player to wear No. 13 for Cleveland showed up back in 1982, and the list that follows includes a wide range of Cavs contributors, from short stints to one of the most durable runs in team history.
One of the earliest names tied to the number was Artis Gilmore, a legend in San Antonio before his time in Cleveland. He played in both the ABA and NBA for San Antonio, and the Spurs retired his jersey first in 1984.
By the time he got to the Cavs, he was in the final stretch of his career and played 67 games, averaging 11 points per game. That was well below his usual offensive production, but a back injury slowed him down late.
Even with that late-career dip, Gilmore is still regarded as one of the best ABA players ever.
Another No. 13 wearer had a more unusual place in league history. He played only 28 games for the Cavaliers, but he was the first undrafted player to start his first career game.
After the 1996 season, the Cavs released him. He spent time overseas before returning to the NBA in 1999.
Then there’s John Amaechi, whose name carries significance beyond the floor. In 2007, he became one of the first former NBA players to come out as gay.
Delonte West brought a different kind of value to the Cavs after being traded from Seattle. He became a defensive weapon, the kind of player who could be thrown at opponents of any size, and he fit as an important complement to LeBron James.
His Cleveland run eventually ended after legal trouble and off-court issues involving the team and LeBron. West retired from basketball at 28, and mental health struggles cut his career short.
The longest and most lasting connection to No. 13 belongs to Tristan Thompson. He spent 11 years with the Cavaliers, including a stretch where he played 447 consecutive games for the team. After leaving following nine years, he returned in 2023 and retired in Cleveland.
Thompson also carved out a place in franchise history in the box score. He’s one of only four Cavs players with 5,000 points and 5,000 rebounds, and despite standing 6-foot-9, he made a living battling for every board. In the record book, he ranks third all-time in rebounds and fifth in games played with 708.
It’s not the number most people think of as lucky. For Cleveland, though, No. 13 has a real chance to end up hanging in the rafters someday.
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