Counting Down the Cavs: Breaking Down the History of Number 1 in Cleveland

Just 1 more day of waiting until the Cleveland Cavaliers are back out on the court.

Jan. 12, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson (right) talks with guard Kyrie Irving during the game against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Cavaliers defeated the Suns 101-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One more day. One more sleep until the team is back on the court against the 76ers.

The number 1 jersey has been worn by 17 different athletes from 1979 to now with James Harden. Let's get things started in the 70s.

Kenny Higgs: 1979

The first player in the number 1, Higgs played a 68 game season for the Cavs before his NBA career was pretty much over. His time in basketball is well known in Louisiana as LSU’s All-Time assists leader in college.

Terrell Brandon: 1997-1998

Brandon has made the countdown previously when we discussed the number 11. However he makes his return here because he wore number 1 in his final two Cavs seasons when he was at his very best.

He was an All-Star in both of those seasons and that was when he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine as “The Best Point Guard in the NBA”. He averaged 19.5 points and almost 7 assists.

Terrell Brandon makes the cover of Sports Illustrated after back-to-back All-Star selections. | Sports Illustrated

Wesley Person: 1998-2002

During the late 90s, Wesley Person played an important role on that team as a sharpshooter. On October 1st 1997, he arrived to the Cavs and immediately made an impact.

In his first Cavs season, he led the league in 3’s made with 192 while shooting 43% from beyond the arc. He played and started in all 82 games that year and played 40 minutes a game.

Over 328 Cavs games, Person averaged 12 points while averaging 42% from three in his time with the team making 550 three pointers which has him 10th on the Cavs all-time list.

Daniel “Boobie” Gibson: 2007-2013

One of the best nicknames in Cavs history, Boobie Gibson is a cult hero in Cleveland.

The most tenured number 1 for the Cavs, Gibson was not the most spectacular but when he had more playtime he made it count. He would spend his entire 7-year career with the Cavaliers which accounted for 397 games.

His rookie year he led the rookies in 3 point percentage, shooting 42% and was a career 40% shooter.

On the young LeBron James led Cavaliers, Gibson was one of the first players LeBron would drive to the basket and kick the ball out to.

Derrick Rose: 2018

The 2018 Cleveland Cavaliers were something else. After the Kyrie Irving trade, this Cavs team went old fast. They got Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and Jose Calderon.

Rose played in just 16 games before he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In fact, this entire core of veterans and former All-Stars were all traded for a younger team. A complete overhaul to save their season.

A massive “what-if” that Cavs team could actually compete for a championship.

James Harden: Current

Harden is going into his first full season with the Cavaliers. There is a level of excitement for this Cavs team that has a full offseason of Harden who is challenging Evan Mobley with "ultimate confidence" this season.