Yesterday we went over the number 25 and Mark Price and his time in Cleveland that led to his jersey being retired. Today, over twenty people have put on the 24 jersey for the team. Starting off with 1994 and Chris Mills.
Mills was a solid role player for the Cavs during the Daugherty/Price era of the Cleveland Cavaliers . Drafted by Cleveland with the 22nd pick in 1993 he played the first four years of his career for the Cavs.
He had some notable performances in his four year stint. He played 319 games and averaged a career 12.6 points for the team. In the 1995-96 season he was at his best. Mills averaged 15 points a game and was one of the team's leading defenders in that Fratello era of Cavs ball.
The first three years of Andre Miller's career were special. He came into the NBA as an above average playmaker. He ended his rookie season on the All-Rookie First Team, but his final season with the team was maybe the best of his career.
In the 2001-02 season, Miller would average 16 points and almost 11 assists in a game. He is to this day the only person ever to average double digit assists in a season for the Cavs.
His 8.2 assist average in Cleveland is one of the best for a career in Cleveland. Although he does not have any assist records, he once dished out 19 assists in a game for the Cavs. That last season he had 882 assists which also sits as the most assists in a season for the team.
Miller's time in Cleveland ended after he wanted a max contract and Cleveland was looking to "tank" for the 2003 Draft and LeBron James , he was traded to the Clippers for Darius Miles.
A fan favorite in Cleveland, Richard Jefferson was a key member of the 2016 NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers. It was towards the end of his long career, but he was a highlight to watch in those two seasons.
Jefferson played 17 NBA seasons and after his retirement he now works as a basketball analyst for ESPN. In just 153 games for the Cavaliers, his personality and hustle on the team made him a fan favorite for the foreseeable future.
The current number 24 Tyrese Proctor is looking for a breakout season. His rookie season last year he did not play very often, but is believed to have a skillset that will bring him great successin the NBA.
Proctor played in 50 games last year and averaged 5 points, but his time in the G-League is what is giving fans and the front office the idea of his potential in the NBA. A heavy increase in minutes is expected this season for Proctor.
24 is the second most worn number in franchise history with 23 different players. Speaking of 23, we will get to that tomorrow.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/onsi as Counting Down the Cavs: Breaking Down the History of Number 24 in Cleveland .
