CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will introduce the Wall of Honor program to recognize former members of the franchise -- a new way to pay tribute to individuals who have made significant contributions to the Cavaliers and played a distinguished, pivotal role in team history.

The inaugural class has not yet been announced. It will feature five inductees selected by a diverse committee made up of longtime Cavaliers staff, broadcasters and legends.

In addition to the five new members, who will be saluted with events and activities as part of the induction process, the Wall of Honor will immediately include the eight people who have previously had their jerseys retired by the Cavs: Austin Carr, Brad Daugherty, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Nance Sr., Mark Price, Bobby “Bingo” Smith, Nate Thurmond and Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Joe Tait.

“The Transformation of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse created a great platform for us to develop a new vision for ways to further embrace our history and to tell the story of our 50 seasons. The Wall of Honor is an important reflection of that and will grow over time as a core element of our desire to showcase and recognize the best of the best,” said Cavs CEO Len Komoroski. “We look forward to celebrating and honoring these special individuals that have played such an integral and impactful role in our past, while helping shape who we are today.”

The voters will use specific criteria to determine the honorees. Each member must have been part of the Cavs organization for at least two seasons and needs to be retired from playing or working for the Cavs for at least five seasons. That means LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, despite their immense impact in delivering the franchise’s first NBA title in 2016, are not yet eligible for induction and won’t be part of the inaugural class.

In addition to those two stipulations, the honorees must also exhibit two or more of the following traits:

Strong personal character that elevated the organization and inspired those around them;

Significant community commitment focused on improving the quality of life in and around the city;

Standout individual game performance and a competitive impact that improved both the team and their teammates; and

Be reflective of the “All For One, One For All” commitment throughout the organization.

The Wall of Honor, which will reside prominently in the North Atrium area of newly-transformed Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse’s main concourse, will feature a mosaic of custom designed tiles that represent each honoree.

Introducing the Wall of Honor - a new program to pay tribute to those who have played a pivotal role in franchise history.



DETAILS: https://t.co/w7Iyed8qWT#Cavs50 pic.twitter.com/ThIEynuFvL — Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) August 20, 2019

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