My 5 Most Memorable Cleveland Cavaliers.....

It's June in Cleveland. That must mean it's Finals time. This will be the third straight year the NBA Finals are being held in Cleveland. That means the town goes wild with t-shirts, parties, and enthusiasm. East 4th Street will soon be packed with fans and media. National television shows will be produced locally. But it didn't used to be this way.

I've been a fan of the Cavaliers since the beginning in 1970. Most of that time, they have been a miserable team. When the team is poor, sometimes you can focus on an individual player. The Cavs have had some all-stars along the years. But I remember some guys that weren't necessarily all-stars. Just fun to watch.

Here is a list of 5 guys that made the Cavs fun to watch, both back in the day, and today.

5. Rick Roberson: He would fit right in with today's NBA. He was a 6'9" center. The problem was back in the early 70's, the average NBA center was seven feet or taller. He would go against giants like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Artis Gilmore, It's funny how the NBA has changed. There are no true centers anymore. But Roberson would give as much as he took. An excellent defensive center, Roberson also excelled at rebounding. In 1972 he set the Cavs team record with 25 rebounds in a game. A record that still stands.

4. Lonnie Shelton: The NBA used to be a much tougher league too, and Shelton embodied that. He played for the Cavs from 82-86. He was a 6'8" power forward. But he was also the Enforcer. He was the guy you wanted as your teammate. He took some criticism occasionally for being fat or out of shape. But he was just a big guy. He was never a big scorer, but would set the tone when he was in the game. My favorite Lonnie Shelton story has nothing to do with basketball. The story goes that Lonnie was enjoying a post game meal at the Lancer Motor Inn on Carnegie Avenue. While he was there, some guy comes into the Lancer for a robbery. Lonnie would have none of that. He chased the guy down. Then  he reportedly sat on him in the parking lot until the police arrived.

3. World B. Free: World may have saved the franchise. He came to the Cavs during the dark days, and played with us from 82-86. To make a splash, when he was traded to the Cavaliers, he was delivered to the Richfield Coliseum in a helicopter. A very colorful dude. He had a reputation as a scorer and a gunner. He didn't disappoint. He wound up with over 17,000 career points. But most importantly, he made the team fun to watch again. The Cavs were at least competitive back them. My favorite World B. Free

World taking on Larry.

quote came from when the Cavs were playing the Bulls during Michael Jordan's rookie season. A reporter asked World if Jordan was stronger going to his left or his right side. "I don't know," replied World. "But I know he can go straight up."

2. JR Smith: JR came to the Cavs during the 2015 season with a reputation as a gunner and a bit of a nutjob. But either he changed or else you can't believe the reputation the national media gives a player. Yes, he is a gunner. He's one of the best 3-point shooters in the history of the NBA. But he seems to be nothing but a good teammate otherwise. He was giving a press conference last season when he started giving a tribute to his Dad on Father's Day that had everybody in tears. This has been a tough season for JR with injuries and a new baby that was hospitalized for months. But I'll never forget his contributions during last seasons championship. He didn't score the most points in the games. He only scored the most important points. When we needed him the most.

Lebron: The Block, or THEBLK.

1. Lebron James: It has been a treat and a privilege to watch Lebron play so many times in person during his career. He is as gifted a basketball player as Mozart and Einstein were gifted at their endeavours. It has been a treat to watch him grow during his career. When he was younger, he was a high flying super athlete. Now, while still athletic, he is like a coach on the floor. I think he is the goat. The Greatest Of All Time. Many people will compare him to Michael Jordan.  Jordan was the better scorer, and a great champion. But Lebron can be better compared to Magic Johnson. Magic could play anywhere on the floor, like Lebron. He also would make his teammates better than they were. Like Lebron. But I think Lebron well surpasses Magic overall. Ok, maybe I'm prejudiced. But I've never seen anyone better.

I love stories. These guys will give me stories to tell for years.