Nick Gilbert, son of Cleveland Cavaliers owner, dead at 26

Nicolas “Nick” Gilbert, the son of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and the team’s representative during the NBA draft lottery, died Saturday. He was 26.

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Nick Gilbert died in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, according to his obituary. A funeral announcement posted by the Ira Kaufman Chapel said Gilbert died Saturday “peacefully at home surrounded by family.”

In addition to the Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert also owns Rocket Mortgage, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Nick Gilbert suffered from neurofibromatosis (NF1), according to ESPN. According to the National Institutes of Health, the genetic condition, also known as von Recklinghausen disease, refers to noncancerous tumors that can affect the brain, spinal cord and the nerves that send signals to both, along with other parts of the body.

Nick Gilbert was diagnosed with NF1 at 15 months old and had several brain surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy, The Detroit News reported.

Wearing a bowtie and dark-rimmed glasses, Nick Gilbert became a fan favorite when he represented the Cavaliers at the 2011 draft lottery, according to The Associated Press. The team won the No. 1 draft pick and later used it to choose point guard Kyrie Irving, according to the Free Press.

Nick Gilbert endeared himself to the lottery show’s audience, according to USA Today. Asked how he felt to know that he was his father’s hero, he said, “Well, I mean, what’s not to like?”

With Nick Gilbert present, the Cavaliers also earned the No. 1 draft pick in 2013 and 2014, the newspaper reported.

The team honored Nick Gilbert for the 2022-23 season by wearing bowtie logos on their warm-up jackets, the Free Press reported.

“Nick inspired people everywhere with his bravery and brought joy to everyone he met,” Mike Duggan, the mayor of Detroit, tweeted on Sunday. “All of Detroit has the Gilbert family in our prayers today.”

Nick Gilbert attended Michigan State University, graduating in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, the News reported.

In 2017, the Gilbert family launched a foundation that has funded more than $18 million in research grants toward finding a cure for Type 1 neurofibromatosis, the News reported.

According to his obituary, Nick Gilbert’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.