Nick Gilbert, the son of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, died Saturday due to neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow on tissue anywhere in the nervous system. He was 26.
The Ira Kaufman Chapel in Southfield, Mich., announced Gilbert’s death. The Gilbert family resides in Michigan.
Nick frequently donned a bowtie and represented the Cavaliers at the NBA Draft Lottery, beginning at age 14 during the 2011 draft. That year marked the first of three occasions the team won the No. 1 pick in a four-year stretch, with Gilbert representing Cleveland each time.
In March, the team held a “Cavs Bow Tie Night” during a game against the 76ers to raise money for NF Forward, an organization Dan and his wife Jennifer established in 2017. The nonprofit aims to fund research and benefit individuals and families affected by neurofibromatosis (NF).
The Cavaliers dedicated their 2022-23 season to Nick “and the millions of others worldwide that have been affected by NF,” per NF Forward.
(Photo: Jason DeCrow / AP)
