From Big Kid to Big Z

Big Z surpassed Danny Ferry for all-time leader in games played.

With the 20th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers gambled by taking a 7-foot-3 center out of Lithuania. Zydrunas Ilgauskas had all the talent in the world when it came to the game of basketball. He was tall and athletic; he could shoot and he could jump. However, Ilgauskas was only 20 years old and already had the feet of an elderly man.

In his first season with the Cavaliers, Z didn’t play in a single game. He was busy recovering from his initial foot operation and learning to speak English. Between 1996 and 2001, the young center had five different surgeries on both of his feet; each time he’d recover, he’d return to the floor only to break yet another bone.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas returned from his final surgery 17 games into the 2001-02 season and has not missed a game due to foot problems since. He made it to the All-Star games in 2003 and 2005 and holds a career average of 14.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Big Z has been in Cleveland throughout his 14 year career and has experienced both lows and highs with this franchise. He holds the franchise record for blocked shots (1,219), defensive rebounds (2,222), total rebounds (5,559) and now games played (724). With the addition of Shaquille O’Neal this offseason, Big Z has embraced his role as a reserve and is posting a steady 7.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this season.

Big Z and LeBron have been together since the King was drafted in 2003.

On Wednesday night when he took the floor for his franchise record breaking game, every fan in the Quicken Loans Arena rose to their feet to show their respect for the Lithuanian tower. After the game, Z spoke with the media and said, “That was one of the coolest things that I have ever experienced in my life and also the closest I have ever come to tears on the basketball floor.”

Not only is Z one of the best players to ever suit up for the Cleveland Cavaliers but he is well-liked and respected by everyone in the organization, from the top down. Majority owner Dan Gilbert said, ”It is fitting that Z broke the record for most games played in a Cavaliers uniform. His journey to this point has been remarkable in many ways and we all have a great deal of respect and admiration for what Z has accomplished.” LeBron clearly expressed the love and respect he has for Ilgauskas earlier in the week, “Z is more than teammate; he is a good friend of mine.”

Former Cleveland GM Wayne Embry explained, “[Z] signed a couple of big contracts and he could have just taken the money and said the heck with it…but Z doesn’t just love basketball, he loved the Cavaliers. He loves Cleveland.”

And Cleveland loves you, Z.