The best Cleveland Cavaliers to wear each uniform number

A couple of Cleveland’s biggest stars join a group of role players as we count down through the 50s and 40s.

#55: Andrew DeClercq

Isaiah Hartenstein was decent as a backup center in Cleveland, but Andrew DeClerq easily takes this one, starting 62 games at center for the late-90s Cavaliers.

#54: Melvin Turpin

No one has worn this number since 2004, and we go all the way back to the 1980s to find Melvin Turpin. The center played 223 games for the Cavs and then was traded for Kent Benson (who then donned #54) and Dell Curry.

#52: Jim Brewer

Mo Williams wore #52 upon his return to the Cavaliers, but Jim Brewer gets the nod on the back of 462 appearances for the Cavaliers; he would later win a title with the Showtime Lakers.

#50: Ben Poquette

Ben Poquette, called “Gentle Ben” by his contemporaries, was the 36th pick in the 1977 Draft and joined the Cavaliers nearly a decade later. He had a largely forgettable tenure, starting just 14 of his 248 games, but his competition for #50 was not very steep.

#45: Donovan Mitchell

In terms of volume Mitchell certainly has a lot of ground to cover, but last year was one of the best non-LeBron single seasons in franchise history. He is explosive, can shoot from anywhere and fans hope he continues adding to the annals of #45 in Cleveland.

#44: Walt Wesley

A whopping 14 players have worn #44 for the Cavaliers, but interestingly enough no one since 2012. Wesley was the first, averaging 17.7 points per game after the Cavs took him in the expansion draft.

#43: Brad Daugherty

Brad Daugherty is one of the best Cavaliers of all-time, a center with a smooth touch and excellent rebounding chops. He made five All-Star Games in eight seasons before injuries ended his career early.

#42: Dwight Davis

Nate Thurmond joined the Cavaliers at the very end of his career and wore #42, but power forward Dwight Davis directly preceded him in Cleveland and was a more impactful player across 235 appearances.

#41: Mark West

On the other hand, Bill Laimbeer began his career in Cleveland but started slowly; his replacement at center, Mark West, had a more sustained run of rotation-level play.

#40: James Edwards

It’s a crowded group that wore #40, and James Edwards leads the way. The three-time champion with the Pistons and Bulls played a strong season-plus for the Cavaliers in the early 1980s.