In 2005, Dan Gilbert, the co-founder and majority owner of Rocket Mortgage, purchased the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it ushered in a new era of prosperity for the franchise, the likes of which it had never experienced before.
With a young LeBron James leading the way, they reached the NBA Finals for the first time in 2007, and after he returned in 2014, they went back to the championship series in each of the four seasons of his second tenure, winning it all in 2016.
Through it all, he has dealt with his son Nick battling a rare genetic illness, and the younger Gilbert succumbed to his illness and passed away on Saturday.
It is with heavy hearts that we join the Gilbert family and the Rock Family of Companies in mourning the loss of Nick Gilbert, who passed away yesterday from complications related to Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). pic.twitter.com/naLti19e2l
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 7, 2023
Fans shared their sadness with the Gilbert family.
Deepest condolences to the Gilbert family. He will forever be a Cavs legend.
— AndreaBurlee (@AndreaBurlee1) May 7, 2023
Life is so bizarre and so beautiful. How we can all experience in incredibly unique ways. Shine on, Nick!
— BoSheezley (@BSheezley) May 7, 2023
RIP
— Noah DeLange (@noah_delange) May 7, 2023
This fan shared the memory of the younger Gilbert holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the Cavs won their first NBA title in 2016.
— Brandon White (@bwhite04) May 7, 2023
The younger Gilbert suffered from neurofibromatosis (NF1), a genetic disorder he was born with that caused noncancerous tumors to grow on nerve pathways throughout his body.
About a decade ago when the Cavs were in the NBA draft lottery, he showed up for the lottery, and twice he left with the No. 1 pick.
They used one of those picks on perennial All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who played a key role in their 2016 world championship, and the other one was used to select Anthony Bennett in 2013.
They then traded Bennett and Andrew Wiggins, whom they took with the No. 1 pick in 2014, for Kevin Love, who played on that 2016 squad.
The younger Gilbert wasn’t at the 2014 lottery, as then-executive David Griffin attended, but Griffin did bring the younger Gilbert’s signature bow tie.
The Gilbert family started a foundation in 2017 that has reportedly raised more than $18 million in research grants toward an attempt to find a cure for NF1.
The post Fans React To Today’s Sad Cleveland Cavaliers News appeared first on The Cold Wire.