Counting Down the Cavs: Breaking Down the Number 21 in Cavaliers History

21 days until the start of the 2026/27 Cleveland Cavaliers season.

Jun 28, 2013; Independence, OH, USA; Former Cleveland Cavaliers players Austin Carr (left) and Campy Russell (center) talk with head coach Mike Brown during a press conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We go from the short history of the 22, to the very long history of the 21 in Cleveland.

This number is not as popular for the Cavs in modern basketball. It has more famous basketball in the early years of Cavs ball.

Campy Russell - 1978-1980

Russell wore three different numbers while he was in Cleveland. His more popular number will be discussed tomorrow, but during his first stint with the Cavs he changed his number in the final two seasons to number 21.

Campy was also a part of “The Miracle of Richfield” alongside all-time Cavalier Austin Carr in 1976.

In those two seasons he earned his sole All-Star selection in the 1978/79 season when he averaged nearly 22 points a game. Overall in the number 21, Russell played 115 games on a 20.5 point average. 

World B. Free - 1983-1986

Another more known Cavalier is World B. Free. He played on multiple NBA teams, but his time in Cleveland is well known. He was considered “The Man Who Saved the Cavs” when he was traded to the team in 1982.

He arrived in Cleveland when they were on the verge of a financial collapse and took over basketball in Northeast Ohio.

Free was an absolute scoring machine. The 6’3 guard would average 23 points a game in four seasons and 275 games played. In 2022, he was added to the Cleveland Cavaliers Wall of Honor alongside Campy Russell.

Darius Miles - 2003-2004

Going a decade or two into the future as we talk about the short but controversial stint of Darius Miles. He was sent to Cleveland in the trade for Ande Miller and was loved by Cavs fans in his first season.

He was seen to bring great youth and high flying basketball to the team, and he did until the addition of LeBron James to the team. After that he was quoted on some things that made him seem jealous of his rookie teammate. It brought a lot of negativity towards him at the time and he was traded to Portland.

Later in life, Miles stated he wanted to protect his 18 year old teammate from negative media and it was taken the wrong way.

JJ Hickson - 2009-2011

Hickson was a Cavs legend in the 2010-11 season when LeBron had left for Miami. Hickson was averaging 14 points and nine rebounds. However, that basketball team was not good at all. They won only 19 games and had at the time the longest NBA losing streak and one of the longest sports losing streaks in history with 26 straight losses.

He was believed to be the future of the Cavs when he was drafted and notoriously the Cavs turned down A’mare Stoudemire trade for Hickson back in 2010. That 2011 season soured the fans and that was it.

The 21 after this was worn by players who made one season appearances until this season when Tristan Enaruma will look to make the Cavs full rotation wearing the number.