Counting Down the Cavs: The Stories Behind Cleveland’s No. 31

We are down to 31 days until the Cleveland Cavaliers tip off their regular season against the Philadelphia 76ers.

I am counting down the days to tip-off starting today with the higher jerseys and their importance in team history.

Starting off this journey with Mr. Big Drizzle himself and the number 90.

#90- Drew Gooden

In 2004, Gooden was traded to Cleveland and before that wore 0 with the Grizzlies and 9 with the Magic. He chose 90 with the Cavs breaking the traditional number 55 boundary that basketball had going on.

He was not just known in Cleveland for his number 90, but he was vital to those early LeBron James years and that first Finals run the team made. He played 282 games for the team and has the most minutes for the team for a player wearing over the number 50.

#45 - Donovan Mitchell

The current Cavaliers are led by the number 45 in Donovan Mitchell. Just a few years ago he scored a Cavs record and one of just a few 70 point games in the NBA when he dropped 71 and had 11 assists against the Bulls in 2023.

This offseason he solidified his love for Cleveland by signing a major extension making him nearly $75 million dollars when he is in his 30s.

#43 - Brad Daugherty

That 43 hangs in the rafters of Rocket Arena. Drafted in 1986, Brad Daugherty was the pillar of the team alongside Mark Price in the 80s and 90s of Cavs basketball.

In just 8 seasons, Daugherty averaged 19 points and nearly 10 boards in Cleveland before an unfortunate back injury took his career from him at just 28. He was at the time, the team's all-time scorer and leading rebounder.

#34 - Austin Carr

He’s been the voice of the Cleveland Cavaliers for a while now, but he was also at one point their all-time scorer and on the team when it started in the early 70s where he played 9 seasons from 1971-1980.

Mr. Cavalier led the team to their first winning season in and first playoff appearance. He was running the team in what is known now as “The Miracle in Richfield” a 7 game series against the Washington Bullets.

#31 - Jarrett Allen

Finishing it off with a favorite in the current day Cavaliers. Maybe the original player of this new look Cavs team when he was traded to Cleveland before any of the current players were on the team.

In the team’s 2023-24 season where the team dealt with some major injuries from Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, he had a run of 16 games where he had consecutive double-doubles, a Cavs record.

Now going into the 2026-27 season, Allen has teased an evolution to his game, looking to help the team win.

Now that we have covered some of the major numbers from 31-99. Starting tomorrow, we will move to #30 and its history in Cleveland.

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