Who is Nick Gilbert? Cleveland Cavs honor owner Dan Gilbert's son by retiring his bow tie

The late Nick Gilbert, a beloved member of the Cleveland Cavaliers' family, took his place in the rafters of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse during Sunday's game against the New York Knicks.

The Cavs hoisted a Nick Gilbert bow tie banner next to the other banners for retired numbers and jerseys during halftime.

"It means a lot," Nick Gilbert's brother, Grant, told Bally Sports Cleveland (via X/Twitter) about the tribute, as reported by ESPN. "It's very special to my family. But not only my family, everyone that knew Nick. And I think it's important for us to come into the FieldHouse and see that banner and understand that he's with us. But also for everybody else to understand the contributions to the organization and to the community that he made. And just being around and being an unwavering fan. And his spirit really driving us through the hard times and the bad times. So he's with us for sure."

Towels printed with "What's not to like" were draped over seats in the stands. That became Nick Gilbert's personal catchphrase during the 2011 NBA draft, when was asked by ESPN reporter Heather Cox about being at the lottery as the "personal hero" of his father.

"What's not to like?" he replied.

The phrase "What's not to like?" went viral on X/Twitter after the Cavs won the top pick minutes later. Many Clevelanders posted it on their Facebook pages as their hometown's new slogan, according to Cleveland.com.

Who is Nick Gilbert?

Gilbert was the son of Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert and his wife, Jennifer. He died May 6, 2023, at age 26.

According to his obituary, Nick Gilbert was known as the Cavs' good luck charm during the 2011 NBA draft lottery, when he served as the team representative during the live broadcast. The Cavaliers earned the No. 1 draft pick and later used it to select point guard Kyrie Irving.

In later years, Nick — with bow tie and thick glasses — would return to the draft lottery. The Cavs also earned the No. 1 overall pick in 2013 and 2014.

What happened to Nick Gilbert? What is neurofibromatosis?

Gilbert suffered from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerve pathways anywhere in the body. There is no known cure.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Nick Gilbert’s first words after brain surgery: ‘Did the Cavs beat OKC?’

In the 2022-23 season, the Cavaliers honored Nick and people affected by neurofibromatosis by dedicating their entire season to them. The team donned bow tie logos on their warmup jackets, while commentators, coaches and front office staff sported lapel pins bearing the emblem.

Social media reacts to Nick Gilbert's bow tie being retired

Cavs fans shared their thoughts on the halftime ceremony on X, formerly Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Who is Nick Gilbert? Cleveland Cavaliers owner late son