The Force is With Him
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Who doesn’t love the young Cedi?!
This week, Cavs.com sheds a light on the Wine & Gold’s starting small forward – international hoops star, Head and Shoulders spokesman (look it up) and all-around great guy, Cedi Osman.
After joining the Cavaliers as the team made their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals, it’s been quite and odyssey for the lithe Macedonian. But he was one of the squad’s steadiest performers all season long – and was really warming up along with the rest of the team just before the 2019-20 season was suspended.
A fan and media favorite, Cedi always has something positive to say, here’s some of his best quotes from over the years …
Sharing Is Caring
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… on the squad’s ball-movement following a tough early-season loss to the Bucks …
"That second half was probably one of our best halves that we’ve played since the start of the season. We had 32 assists (tonight). Terrific. It was great. We shared the basketball and everybody enjoyed it.”
Numbers Game
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… on the story of how he wound up with uniform No. 16 and future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade wound up with No. 9 …
"Well, my number was always 6, actually. And obviously, I couldn't take 6. So I chose 9. I preferred taking 9 because of the 6 – just upside down.
"So, it started with Cobra (Cavs Director of Team Operations, Mark Cashman) telling me that D-Wade, he wants number 9 and he's gonna talk to you. And then the second thing was I saw on Twitter somebody tweeted, like, you know: 'Wade is going to take No. 9 from Osman. He'll have to pick another number.' Stuff like that.
"But I was totally cool with it and he (Wade) was totally cool with it. It wasn't that big of issue. So, I was like: No problem, buddy. We swapped jerseys and that was it.
"So he took 9 and I picked 16 – just because has a '6' in it.”
International Icon
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… on being coached by Dirk Nowitzki in the 2019 Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend in Charlotte…
"That's the best part, because he's my favorite player.
"Dirk's my all-time favorite player. Growing up, I watched him a lot -- he was my idol. So being coached by him, it's going to be a really big experience for me.”
The Kid's Alright
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… on the Cavaliers’ veterans accepting him right away as a rookie in 2017 …
"They did. I think it's just because I worked really hard and I was playing hard all the time.
"No matter what, if I got in for one minute or five minutes – especially that first year, minutes were really crucial for me – I played hard. And I think they just took me under their wing because I was really playing hard and I really showed them that I want to be a part of the team and help the team.
"All the veterans we had my first year were great character guys, great people. Whenever I asked about something, they were always ready to help me. They never told me: 'Go away, I don't want to talk right now.'
"They were always trying to explain things and teach me. So that's why I really feel lucky for that first season.
"I just thing was because my energy was matching with everybody. And that's why I felt like we had like a small brother-big brother relationship.
"I heard so much negative about the rookie year, but it really wasn't like that for me.“
Teamwork for Turkey
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… after helping donate – (along with teammate, Larry Nance Jr.) – and raise nearly $60,000 for victims of a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in Elazığ, Turkey in late-January …
“I don’t have anybody in that city, but who doesn’t matter, it’s a city in Turkey.
“I was talking to my friends, even if they don’t live over there, I was getting news from them. They really helped me to do this campaign, and a lot of people joined it. I believe we’re going to have a good donation.”
Magic Man
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… after a solid defensive night against Orlando – having to guard Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon at different points of the night …
“I mean, at Media Day and at the beginning of the season, I was saying that I would improve defensively. So really, I’m just trying to lock down those guys. You know, (I’m) trying to be every time at their backs and just pursuing them every time, not letting them have easy baskets.
"So really, I just believe that my effort was right there tonight and have to be every night the same effort. So, I mean, it was a tough matchup, but I like that challenge.”
Home Cookin'
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… on the difference between food in the States versus overseas …
"Kind of more fried stuff. That's the one thing I had to adjust to.
"It's not like it's gross or anything. I like fried stuff, too. Just not every day.”
The Osman Brothers
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… recalling the hoops battles between him and his brother – both growing up and to this day …
"My brother and I didn't play, like, in organized games against each other. But sometimes we'll play one-on-one and it will always be a big battle between the two of us because both of us HATES to lose.
"Whenever we play, we always fight – especially if I lost! I would take the ball and try to hit him with it.”