In a special ceremony that will take place on Saturday, March 26th at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cleveland Cavaliers will memorialize four individuals who played pivotal roles in shaping the history of the franchise. World B. Free, Gordon Gund, Campy Russell and Lenny Wilkens will be inducted as members of the Cavaliers Wall of Honor Class of 2022.
In a special ceremony that will take place on Saturday, March 26th at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cleveland Cavaliers will memorialize four individuals who played pivotal roles in shaping the history of the franchise. World B. Free, Gordon Gund, Campy Russell and Lenny Wilkens will be inducted as members of the Cavaliers Wall of Honor Class of 2022.
“We owe a great debt of gratitude as an organization to those players who grace the Cavaliers Wall of Honor as we continue to celebrate their legacy both on and off the court,” said Koby Altman, Cavaliers president of basketball operations. “This game is about accountability, self-discipline, sacrifice and selflessness – principles that each Wall of Honor member embodies. As part of their induction, a Wall of Honor ring will be presented that symbolizes a very exclusive club and a lasting part of Cavaliers history.”
Designed to reflect the special significance of the enshrinement, the stunning Wall of Honor ring is being introduced for the first time to the 2022 class but was also created for members of the Cavs 2019 inaugural class that included Wayne Embry, the late Bill Fitch, the late John Johnson, Nick Mileti and the late John “Hot Rod” Williams.
In addition, Wall of Honor rings were also created for the eight 2019 Wall of Honor inductees who have previously had their jerseys retired by the Cavs: Austin Carr, Brad Daugherty, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Nance Sr., Mark Price, Bobby “Bingo” Smith, the late Joe Tait (Cavaliers Hall of Fame radio broadcaster for 39 seasons), and the late Nate Thurmond.
Instrumental in helping to bring the Wall of Honor ring to life, the ideation and design of the custom-made piece was a collaboration between Cavs Legend and five-time All-Star Brad Daugherty, along with Cavs Director of Alumni Relations Campy Russell.
“For those before me, during my time and after my time, to receive this honor is a special bond that we share with great pride,” said Daugherty. “To have a ring as a symbol of the legacy that ties us together and as a keepsake that we can carry outside of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is something we will all cherish.”
“The ring stands for the special fellowship we all share in being a Cleveland Cavalier,” said Russell. “Whatever role we played or contribution we made, we are forever ‘All for One and One for All,’ and the ring is an emblem of our passion for the wine and gold.”
The rhombus design of the Wall of Honor ring is a nod to the actual Cavaliers Wall of Honor that resides prominently in the North Atrium area of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and features a mosaic of diamond- shaped tiles that represent each honoree.
The 10K yellow gold ring features a diamond-shaped face outlined in garnet and inset with 23 diamonds. Each ring is personalized to reflect the distinctive careers of the inductee— the player jersey number or a number or icon of significance to the role they held.