At Least Six Basketball Hall Of Fame Class Of 2024 Nominees Rep Cavs
This past Thursday, which was the first-ever World Basketball Day, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the nominees for its Class of 2024.
At least six of these nominees have ties to the Cleveland Cavaliers in some way.
Here are six of the nominees and their contributions to the Wine and Gold.
Former Players
Bill Laimbeer
The four-time NBA All-Star played his first 131 NBA games with Cleveland.
Originally a third-round pick by the Cavaliers in the 1979 NBA Draft, Laimbeer averaged 8.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for the Wine and Gold. He was eventually traded to the Detroit Pistons in February of 1982.
This is Laimbeer’s first Basketball Hall of Fame nomination.
Shawn Marion
Another four-time NBA All-Star, Marion played the final season of his career with Cleveland. He played in 57 regular-season games (24 starts) during the 2014-15 campaign, averaging 9.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks per contest.
Marion also made six postseason appearances during the Cavaliers’ run to the 2015 NBA Finals, totaling two points, six rebounds, and one assist.
Jan 13, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Shawn Marion (31) during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. Phoenix won 107-100.
© Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Former Coaches
Mike Fratello
Nominated as a contributor, Fratello was Cleveland’s head coach for six seasons during the 1990s. The Cavaliers went 248-212 during his tenure, making the NBA Playoffs four times, and finishing with a winning record in each of his first five seasons.
Fratello was named the NBA Coach of the Month for the month of December during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons. He has also served as a television broadcast analyst for Cleveland.
This is Fratello’s first Basketball Hall of Fame nomination.
Paul Silas
Nominated as a player, Silas was the Cavaliers’ head coach for nearly two full seasons in the early 2000s. The 2003-04 season was his first at the helm for the Wine and Gold, making him LeBron James’ first-ever NBA head coach.
Silas compiled a 69-77 record in his 146-game tenure with Cleveland, and was fired during the 2004-05 season despite a 34-30 mark through 64 contests. He
Silas passed away just over a year ago at the age of 79.
David Blatt
Nominated for his international coaching career, Blatt was the Cavaliers’ head coach for less than two seasons during the 2010s. He led the Wine and Gold to their second-ever Eastern Conference Championship during the 2014-15 season, his first season as an NBA head coach.
However, Blatt was fired halfway through the following season. This occurred despite Cleveland beginning the 2015-16 campaign with a 30-11 record, the best mark in the Eastern Conference at that point. He was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month twice during his tenure.
This is Blatt’s first Basketball Hall of Fame nomination.
John Beilein
The longtime college head coach was the Cavaliers’ head coach for less than a season. He resigned from the position after just 54 games at the helm, as Cleveland held the second-worst record in the NBA at 14-40.
After his resignation, he remained a part of the organization in a different capacity.
The finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 will be announced on Friday, February 16, with the class being revealed on Saturday, April 6.
