How Nick Gilbert changed Cavs history with a little luck and his prevailing spirit
CLEVELAND — When Nick Gilbert was 14, he wore a bow tie to represent the Cleveland Cavaliers at the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery.
The oldest son of Cavs chairman Dan Gilbert and his wife, Jennifer, watched as the team landed the No. 1 draft pick, which it used to select Kyrie Irving.
“It was quite a sight,” Dan Gilbert said after the lottery win. “I am very happy for him, too. He has been a lucky kid his whole life and overcome a lot of great odds. It’s a very good thing that he was a part of this.”
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Nick returned with his trademark bow tie in 2013 — and so did Cleveland’s good fortune. The Cavs drew the first pick yet again. They used that pick to select Anthony Bennett, which didn’t turn out so great.
But once again in 2014, then-general manager David Griffin wore Nick’s bow tie as a handkerchief in his suit jacket as the Cavs once more saw the ping pong balls come out their way to land another first overall pick that would turn into Andrew Wiggins.
The bow tie also made an appearance before the 2021 lottery when then-general manager Koby Altman, who has since been promoted to president of basketball operations, unwrapped two of them in a package delivered to his hotel room in Chicago. One was Nick’s original bow tie that preceded a first-round draft pick and another featuring the 2016 championship court.
Altman kept both bow ties beside him as the Cavs landed the third pick, which they used to select Evan Mobley.
Nick, who became a symbol of good luck for Cleveland, passed away on Saturday as the result of a genetic condition with which he was born. The Ira Kaufman Chapel in Southfield, Mich., announced Gilbert’s death. The Gilbert family resides in Michigan.
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 NF1. pic.twitter.com/pA9nK4bz1T
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 7, 2023
Nick was born with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder that impacts one in every 3,000 people and causes tumors to grow on nerve pathways in the body. Those tumors can lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, pain and cancer. Currently, there is no cure.
The 26-year-old Gilbert served as an inspiration for those around the franchise since his father took control of it in 2005 and within the Gilbert Family Foundation. The bow tie he sported has symbolized the strength and courage that Nick and all those impacted by the disease displayed daily.
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“Nick’s fighting spirit not only defines this franchise, but it courses throughout every ounce of what the organization does and stands for, from top to bottom every single day,” Cavs play-by-play announcer John Michael told The Athletic in March. “Simply put, Nick Gilbert is the Cleveland Cavaliers.”
In honor of Nick, the Cavs created the Bow Tie Campaign during the 2022-23 season to raise awareness and funds for NF Forward, a 501 C3 non-profit organization established by the Gilbert family. NF Forward is committed to advancing research to benefit individuals and families affected by neurofibromatosis.
The Cavs’ coaching staff wore a bow tie pin on their collared shirts or zip-ups at games. The emblem was on the players’ warm-up jackets. The front office and broadcast team also wore a pin on their lapels.
“As a Cavaliers family, we celebrate the strength and resilience these individuals demonstrate every day and shine a spotlight on the trailblazing research being funded by our partners and friends at NF Forward,” Nic Barlage, the Cavs’ CEO, said in March. “Throughout our season, we have heard stories from coast to coast about what this dedication has meant to those affected by NF. With this special night, we hope to give our supportive fans the opportunity to join us in making a meaningful impact in the fight against this illness.”
There have been different games throughout the season dedicated to raising awareness for those throughout the country with NF.
“It’s always just really uplifting to be able to be a part of something that brings two extremely different organizations together, but we’re able to really leverage the many tools in our toolkit to think creatively about how to get the word out about neurofibromatosis,” Laura Grannemann, executive director of the Gilbert Family Foundation, told The Athletic in March.
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“I think it’s really important from a solidarity perspective that the Cavs are supporting in this way to show their entire network that this is important to them and that they’re really raising awareness for not just Nick and his family, but for the entire community that has been dealing with NF their whole life.”
Dan and Jennifer Gilbert started the Gilbert Family Foundation in 2015, which is a private family foundation that focuses specifically on accelerating a cure to end neurofibromatosis, according to Grannemann. Their foundation has continued to grow, as they will host their 11th benefit this year. They’ve expanded to other opportunities like this Bow Tie Campaign with the Cavs, which not only brings a fundraising perspective, but it also helps raise awareness of NF.
The Gilberts have invested $97 million in research towards accelerating a cure for neurofibromatosis, and the beNeFit – which is their primary fundraiser — has raised over $50 million.
They have a core value — which Grannemann described as an ‘ism’ within their family of companies — that says ‘you’ll see it when you believe it.’ Grannemann said that mentality encapsulates the work they do as a foundation in the NF space.
“Dan and Jennifer and their entire family are truly an inspiration, from my perspective,” Granneman said. “The fact that they have been able to not only navigate the complexities and the emotional and physical difficulties of neurofibromatosis, but also that they’re such a tight-knit family and they are truly there to support Nick. I think they’re incredibly strong, incredibly resilient.”
Nick spent the last year facing challenges and multiple surgeries, the Cavaliers told The Athletic in March. The Gilbert family has made it a lifelong mission to not only share Nick’s story, but also help others suffering from the disease.
“It’s been inspirational to see how they have not only done that for their own family,” Granneman said. “I think they recognize that their family has incredible resources to bring to Nick’s treatment and they want to make sure that other families who don’t have those resources are benefiting just the same.”
(Photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images)
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