Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert Trolls Fans With Hilarious April Fools' Day Post

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert had a laugh at the expense of Ohio sports fans on April Fools' Day.

Jul 26, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert speaks to reporters during a press conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Dan Gilbert will forever be a hero in the city of Cleveland for the way he runs the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is not afraid to spend his money in the pursuit of winning. That is all fans can ask for in an owner.

His work in Cleveland makes it easy to forget he is a Michigan native and was specifically born in Detroit. Thus, the Michigan ties run deep.

That is why some fans may have been shocked when they saw a tweet Gilbert put out Wednesday morning. Yet all people had to do was check the calendar and read closely to figure out it was all a joke.

Introducing our proposed name for Cleveland’s new WNBA team… THE Ohio Wolverines.

The Midwest work ethic is a real thing. As someone who has spent a lot of time on both sides of the lake, I can tell you that Ohio and Michigan have far more similarities than differences.

We’re… pic.twitter.com/DC2cISudxh

— Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) April 1, 2026

His pitch? Calling Cleveland's new WNBA team the "Ohio Wolverines."

Dan Gilbert has fun at the expense of Cleveland fans

Gilbert even goes as far to suggest the Detroit WNBA franchise call itself the "Michigan Buckeyes." What he is not joking about is calling Lake Erie "the Midwest's own Mediterranean." That is no April Fools' exaggeration.

The replies seem to show most people understood it as a joke. Yet there are certainly people who were clearly duped, perhaps too prideful to share it on social media.

Gilbert has the grace and goodwill among Cleveland fans to make a joke like this. What would have happened if Jimmy Haslam made a joke on social media to this magnitude? That would have been enough to power local talk shows for a week.

The Dolans, owners of the Guardians, would also not find a big sense of humor among fans.

Gilbert's spending allows him to get away with these fun pranks

The Cavaliers are among a handful of teams spending over $200 million in cash on player salaries this season. Guardians fans could only dream of such spending, and MLB does not even have a salary cap. Thus, fans are often on Gilbert's side for his commitment to winning.

This post also reminds fans of the coming WNBA franchise, which will debut in 2028. That team will only add to Gilbert's portfolio in the city.

His Cavs are also among the favorites to win the NBA title in 2026.

The excitement only continues in the summer, win or lose, as rumors of another LeBron return will loom over the franchise. Such a move would likely be the next time fans would be talking about a Dan Gilbert social media post.

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