When you think of the iconic colors used by the Cleveland Cavaliers, two colors come straight to mind: wine and gold. These two colors have become synonymous with the Cavs; from the fans in the stands to the athletes on the court, many show their loyalty with bright and vibrant gear.
The two official colors of the Cavaliers — wine and gold — were first introduced in 1970 when the team joined the NBA. From that moment on, these colors have become synonymous with the Cavs, creating a huge sense of unity and pride among those who stand behind the team.
The wine represents the strength and determination of the team, while the gold symbolizes their commitment to excellence. Both colors not only represent the Cavaliers, but they also symbolize the city of Cleveland and the tradition that has been built here over time.
The current color scheme of wine and gold was first officially featured as a uniform during the 1997-98 season. Over the years, the uniforms have gradually evolved, but the base colors have always remained the same. The primary color — wine — has kept that distinct color throughout the years, often being accented by subtle dark blue or black tones for a modern feel. The secondary color — gold — has been a little more flexible, coming in darker shades with yellow accents from time to time.
Today, you can still find these two classic colors prominently on the Cavaliers uniforms, as well as the court design, the logos, and all of the team’s other official merchandise. It has become a proud tradition to see fans of all ages wearing the wine and gold to show their Cavaliers spirit and passion.
Cleveland Cavaliers color codes: RGB, CMYK, Pantone, Hex
These two colors are more than just simple hues of paint, but represent the shared values and camaraderie that have brought millions of Clevelanders together over the years. Through thick and thin, these warm and inviting colors have continued to light the path of the Cavaliers franchise and its devoted fans.
| Wine | Hex color: | #6f263d |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 111 38 61 | |
| CMYK: | 20 97 40 58 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 209 C |
| Gold | Hex color: | #ffb81c |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 255 184 28 | |
| CMYK: | 0 31 98 0 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 1235 C |
| Navy Blue | Hex color: | #041e42 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 4 30 66 | |
| CMYK: | 100 90 13 68 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 282 C |
| Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 6 25 34 | |
| CMYK: | 30 0 0 100 | |
| Pantone: | PMS Black C |
Cleveland Cavaliers Overview
The Cleveland Cavaliers Overview is an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division.
The team began to play as an expansion team in 1970, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Buffalo Braves. Home games were first held at Cleveland Arena from 1970 to 1974, followed by the Richfield Coliseum from 1974 to 1994.
Since 1994, the Cavs have played their home games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland. Read more below to find other information.
American basketball team
Cleveland Cavaliers, often known as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball club headquartered in Cleveland championships that competes in the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Eastern Conference and has won one NBA championship (2016).
The Cavaliers debuted as an NBA expansion club in 1970 under the ownership of ambitious entrepreneur Nick Mileti, who also controlled the Cleveland Indians of baseball and the city’s World Hockey Association franchise (who is the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers? the Cavaliers have since gone through several changes of ownership).
Coached by Bill Fitch and playing in the dilapidated Cleveland Arena, the Cavs championship ended their inaugural season with the league’s worst record, a painful exercise exemplified by John Warren unintentionally shooting towards and scoring in the opponent’s hoop during one game.
Despite their terrible season, the Cavaliers received the first overall pick in the 1971 NBA draft, which they used to choose guard Austin Carr, the team’s first-star player.
Cleveland gradually improved throughout the early 1970s. Fitch led a squad that included Carr, forward Bobby Bingo Smith, and center Nate Thurmond—a vital mid-season acquisition—to a 49-33 record and the franchise’s first division championship in 1975-76.
The first playoff series in franchise history (in the Eastern Conference semifinal versus the Washington Bullets) was highlighted by three last-second game-winning jumpers by the Cavs basketball, and the series became known as the Miracle of Richfield (after the team’s suburban home venue from 1974 to 1994).
After winning the seven-game series, the Cavaliers proceeded to the Eastern Conference finals, where they were defeated in six games by the Boston Celtics.
Cleveland followed up their Miracle season with two straight winning seasons that resulted in playoff participation, but both times the Cavs were ousted in the first round. The franchise began an era typified by bad front-office choices and high head-coach turnover, as the Cavs lost every season from 1978-79 through 1986-87.
However, Wayne Embry took over as general manager in 1985 and recruited Lenny Wilkens as head coach for the 1986-87 season.
Wilkens molded the Cavs into a defensive-minded team that rapidly found success. The Cavs won 42 games in the 1987-88 season with a lineup that included center Brad Daugherty, guard Mark Price, and forward Larry Nance but were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. On the other hand, the next year’s postseason series versus Jordan’s Bulls proved far more memorable.
The Cavaliers ended the 1988-89 regular season with a franchise-best 57-25 record, trailing only the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland’s first-round series versus the Bulls went to a deciding fifth game, which Jordan won by making a buzzer-beating shot while theatrically dangling in midair as defender Craig Ehlo passed by.
During the 1991-92 season, the Cavaliers matched their all-time best record, and they defeated the New Jersey Nets and the Boston Celtics in the playoffs to get to the Eastern Conference finals. They again squared up against the Bulls, who defeated the Cavs in six games.
In 1994, the Cavaliers relocated to a new arena in downtown Cleveland. They made the playoffs five times between 1992-93 and 1997-98 but only made it past the first round once, a conference semifinal defeat to the Bulls in 1993, and then went winless for six straight seasons, with a conference-worst 17-65 record in 2002-03.
That performance earned the Cavaliers the first overall pick in the NBA draft, which they used to choose LeBron James, a highly acclaimed high school player from nearby Akron. In 2005-06, James led the Cavaliers back to the playoffs, and a year later, the team made its first trip to the NBA finals when the San Antonio Spurs swept them.
The Cavaliers won 66 games in 2008-09, giving them the best record among the NBA Teams in Ohio. However, after comfortably sweeping the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks in the first two postseason rounds, the Cavs were defeated in the Eastern Conference finals by the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs again had the best record in the NBA in 2009-10 but were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Celtics. James signed with the Miami Heat during the next offseason, and the Cavaliers fell back to the NBA’s lowest tiers in 2010-11.
The team’s poor play and exceptional success in the NBA draft lottery resulted in the Cavs winning the first overall draft choice three years in a row between 2011 and 2014. Cleveland’s resultant youthful and promising core of players, led by All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, was enough to entice James to return to the organization when he became a free agent in July 2014.
The Cavs subsequently acquired a third perennial All-Star, power forward Kevin Love, and started the 2014-15 season as the Eastern Conference’s favorite. Cleveland struggled early in the season before coming together to produce the conference’s second-best record.
Despite the team’s season-ending injury to Love in Cleveland’s fourth playoff game and a banged-up Irving missing numerous playoff games, James’ spectacular postseason play propelled the club to its second trip to the NBA finals. Irving injured his kneecap in the opening game of the series. However, James still guided Cleveland to its first two finals victories before losing the NBA championship in six games to the Golden State Warriors.
The Cavaliers won the top seed in the Eastern Conference again in 2015-16, avoiding the injury bug in the conference playoffs when they dropped only two games on the way to a repeat in the NBA finals with the Warriors. The latter established a league record with 73 victories during the regular season. The Cavaliers were behind three games to one before James and Irving went on a tear.
To win the franchise’s first NBA title, the two guided Cleveland to three straight wins while on the verge of elimination, something never done before in the NBA playoffs. Cleveland won 51 games the next season to finish as the Eastern Conference’s second seed in the playoffs.
The club then cruised through the first three rounds of the playoffs, losing only once in those series, to set up a rematch with the Warriors in the NBA finals, the first time in league history that two teams faced off for the championship in three consecutive seasons. However, the Cavs could not recreate their shocking upset of the previous season, falling to the Warriors in a five-game series.
Irving demanded a trade the following offseason, and the Cavaliers’ restructured offense struggled to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference during the 2017-18 regular season. However, James again excelled in the playoffs, leading Cleveland to its fourth consecutive conference title and a rematch with the Warriors in the finals.
On the other hand, the weary and less-talented Cavaliers club provided no opposition to the Warriors, who swept Cleveland in a four-game series.
James left Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency the next offseason. The Cavaliers struggled without him, completing 2018-19 with the same losing record (19-63) as the previous season after his departure.
Logos And Uniforms
Blue and orange
The colors were altered to burnt orange, blue, and white for the 1983-84 season. The first Cavaliers outfit under the new design included the Cavaliers logo in an arched pattern and the player name stitched into the back shoulder as a patch, with orange being the predominant color in both the away and home uniforms.
However, in the 1987-88 season, orange was downgraded to a secondary hue, and blue was used as the primary color for the away and home costumes. Minor adjustments in the 1989-90 season include the addition of the city name on the blue away shirts. Drop shadows have also been deleted.
The orange suit was worn again in the 2006-07 and 2016-17 seasons to commemorate the 1986-87 team’s 20th and 30th anniversaries, respectively. The blue versions were worn during the 2009-10 season to commemorate the franchise’s 40th anniversary and respect the 1988-89 squad.
Wine, metallic gold, and navy
In the 2003-04 season, the Cavaliers adopted a modified version of the team’s original wine and gold scheme (metallic gold and scarlet tint of wine), with navy blue added to the color scheme. The home jersey was white with the word Cavaliers in wine lettering and gold trim on the front, the player’s name in wine lettering and gold trim on the back, navy blue player numbers, and wine and gold trim on the sides.
The team’s basic road uniform was wine-colored, with white writing and gold trim on the word Cleveland, the player’s name, and the player’s numbers, as well as white and gold trim on the sides.
The team’s third/alternate jersey was navy blue with white lettering and gold trim on the word Cleveland, the player’s name, and the player’s numbers, as well as a glass of wine, gold, and navy blue checkerboard trim. The checkerboard trim inspired the Cavaliers’ first jerseys from the 1970s. The logo featured a gold sword piercing the words ‘Cleveland Cavaliers’ in white and navy trim, surrounded by a wine basketball.
Wine, mustard gold, navy, and black
Before the start of the 2015-16 season, two alternative jerseys were released. The second wine costume is identical to their usual road gear, except it incorporates the arched Cavs logo from the mid-1980s and white numbers with a gold accent.
A black-sleeved uniform with the red ‘C’ emblem on the front was memorably worn in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. To honor the triumph, their new logos for the 2017-18 season contain the color black.
Beginning with the 2017-18 season, all NBA clubs wore Nike-designed white Association jerseys and Icon uniforms in the main color of their respective franchise. The Cavs’ Icon jerseys are wine in color, with the word Cleveland across the front and the player’s name in gold font with navy blue numerals both front and back.
The front of the white Association uniforms reads Cavs, with wine-colored letters and numbers on both the front and back. Every squad can wear a different uniform for each home game. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the team, a tiny Goodyear Wingfoot emblem is also incorporated on the Cavs jerseys.
Nike also offers a third, alternate outfit dubbed the Statement. Statement uniforms for the Cavaliers are black with dark gray pinstripes, a wine-colored C trimmed in gold on the front, names in gold lettering on the back, wine-colored/gold-trimmed numbers on the front and back, and gold-colored Nike and Goodyear emblems on the front. The black outfit is a throwback to the team’s previous black-sleeved jerseys, which they wore in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals.
CavFanatic uniforms
On certain Cavfanatic Nights from 2008-09 to 2011-12, the Cavaliers donned special mash-up uniforms (combining the style of one period with the color scheme of another).
- 2008-09: The team donned the traditional Feathered C kits, albeit with the 1994-2003 shade of blue mixed in with the classic wine and gold color scheme.
- 2009-10: The squad used its 1987-89 clothes in the famous ‘Miracle of Richfield’ wine and gold.
- 2010-11: The club used the 2005-10 checkerboard alternative kits but in the color scheme of blue, black, and orange from 1994 to 2003.
- 2011-12: The team used blue jerseys with wine and gold writing, identical to the navy alternates from 2014-17 but with different jerseys and shorts striping.
City edition uniforms
Nike also offers a fourth uniform known as the City Edition, which commemorates both Cleveland and the state of Ohio:
The uniform was gray with dark gray trim in 2017-18, with The Land (a famous Cleveland moniker) across the front in white letters trimmed in dark gray and gold (as is the number on the front of the jersey), and the player’s name and number in white text on the back.
The City Edition jerseys for 2018-19 were orange and blue (a reference to the popular Cavs teams of the 1980s), with a zigzag/slash design (reminiscent of the 1990s period uniforms) and a script Cleveland across the front. The motto 1 out of 5 Greats is displayed on the right pant leg, along with an outline of the Great Lakes (with Lake Erie emphasized).
The floor at Quicken Loans Arena was also altered with an orange and blue motif for the home games in which these outfits were worn. The team’s Earned Edition jersey (unique to the 2018 NBA playoff teams) utilized the identical uniform design as the City Edition, only the top was white, and the bottom was powder blue with navy lettering and numbers.
The City Edition uniforms for the 2019-20 season were navy blue (a nod to the team’s alternate uniform from the mid-late 2000s) with CLE in gold letters (in the style of the team’s original 1970 uniforms), numbers in gold with wine inlay (in the style of the 90s uniforms), and wine, gold, white, and black stripes down the sides. Furthermore, to mark the team’s 50th anniversary season, Nike offered a fifth uniform known as the Classic Edition, a modified version of the team’s black, blue, and orange uniforms from the mid-1990s.
The City Edition jerseys for the 2020-21 season were black with wine and gold trim around the neck and sleeves and white inscriptions and numbers. Cleveland will be displayed on the front of the jersey in multiple typefaces and several patches along the sides of the trouser legs.
The jersey design honors a collaboration between the Cavs and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on a Cleveland Amplified display at the Rock Hall. The letters stand for C (Cleveland Cavaliers), L (Sex Pistols), E (The Who), V (David Bowie), E (Metallica), L (The Beatles), A (Nirvana), N (N.W.A), D (David Bowie), E (Metallica), L (The Beatles), A (Nirvana) (Pink Floyd).
The City Edition jerseys for the 2021-22 season are in the team’s characteristic wine hue with gold lettering and numbers, wine, gold, and white trim around the sleeves and down the trouser legs, and a blend of the team’s emblems throughout its history.
The team’s original 1970s swashbuckler logo appears on the front of the shirt, with numbers in the manner of the team’s 1990s outfits. The team’s 1980s logo is on the waistband, the 1990s logo is on the left leg, and the present period C logo is on the right leg of the trousers.
Original wine and mustard/metallic gold
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ initial uniform colors were burgundy and gold when they made their NBA debut in 1970. The feathery treatment of the letter C in Cavaliers appeared on the first jerseys. In 1974, they adopted the distinctive block lettering and checkerboard layout that became synonymous with the 1976′ Miracle of Richfield’ teams.
The gold color was altered from yellowish to metallic in 1980, and the uniforms dropped the checkerboard design in favor of stripes above and below the uniform number, the only time the city name appeared on both home and away jerseys.
The initial logo featured a swashbuckling cavalier facing right, holding a sword and surrounded by the team name and a basketball. The Canton Charge, the Cavaliers’ NBA Development League franchise, later featured a modified swashbuckling cavalier emblem.
The gold checkerboard uniforms were worn as a throwback during the 2004-05 season to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ‘Miracle of Richfield’ squad, while the gold ‘Feathered C’ jerseys were worn again in the 2008-09 season as a prelude to the Cavaliers’ then-upcoming 40th season. The ‘Miracle of Richfield’ gold outfits were reused in the 2015-16 season on special Hardwood Classic” nights to celebrate the Miracle of Richfield teams’ 40th anniversary.
Blue, black, and orange
During the 1994-1995 season, the Cavaliers altered their logos and jerseys, adding black to the previously existing blue, orange, and white colors. The outfits have a blue splash in the front abdomen area. From 1994 to 1997, the word ‘CAVS’ on the home uniforms was orange with a black line, and the numbers were black with a white line, while the word ‘CLEVELAND’ on the away jerseys was likewise orange with a black line, and the numerals were white with a black line.
The numerals and letters were significantly altered between 1997 and 1999. On the home jerseys, the word ‘CAVS’ and the numbers are in black with orange lines, whereas the word ‘CLEVELAND’ and the numerals are in white with orange lines.
With a small modification in striping, the blue splash was relocated from the right leg to the left leg, enclosing ‘CLEVELAND’ on the home jerseys and ‘CAVS’ on the road uniforms.
The Cavaliers went for a cleaner style in the 1999-2000 season, removing the splash and adding an orange and blue line that goes through the shorts. The team nickname and uniform numbers are in blue with black lines on the home jerseys, while the city name and uniform numbers are in white with blue lines on the away jerseys.
They remained in use until the 2002-03 season. During this time, the logo was a basketball falling through the net surrounded by a black square and the word ‘CAVS’ in blue with a black line below.
The Cavaliers’ black jerseys from 1994-96 will be reintroduced for the 2019-20 season as part of the team’s 50th season and the 25th anniversary of their move to Gund Arena (now Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse).
Wine, mustard gold, and navy
To correspond with the team’s return to the classic colors of wine and gold used from 1970 to 1983, the Cavaliers introduced new jerseys before the start of the 2010-11 NBA season. The home uniform is white with a horizontal stripe trim of wine and gold on the collar, sleeves, waistline, and pant legs, Cavaliers (in block style text) in wine on the front of the jersey, with wine lettering for the name and number, and white shoes and socks.
The road uniform is a wine with the same stripe trim, Cleveland in gold on the front of the jersey, gold lettering on the name and number, and black shoes and socks. For the 2012-13 season, an alternate third uniform was added, which is gold with CAVS in wine on the front of the jersey, wine lettering on the name and number, white socks and shoes, and the same stripe trim as the other uniforms.
The team slogan All For One, One For All is sewn on the inside of the collar of all jerseys, as is the secondary Sword C logo on the side of the trouser legs. The logo is the same piercing sword logo modified to the original wine and gold color scheme.
For the 2014-15 season, a second alternative uniform (and fourth total) in navy blue with CAVS and the player’s number in wine with gold trim, the player’s name on the back of the jersey in gold, and the Sword C badge on the side of the trouser legs were introduced.
Cleveland Clinic Courts
Cleveland Clinic Courts, the team’s practice facility and headquarters, are situated in the Independence suburbs. The 50,000-square-foot (4,600-square-meter) structure, which opened in 2007, features two full-size basketball courts, a weight room, a steam room, offices, medical facilities, and cooking and eating facilities.
The team’s official healthcare partner, Cleveland Clinic, owns the naming rights. Before the inauguration of Cleveland Clinic Courts, the team used the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse practice court on the club level.
In November 2016, the city of Independence renamed the part of Brecksville Road leading to the team’s practice facility Cavaliers Way in celebration of the Cavs winning the NBA Championship.
2021-22 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats
Roster
| No. | Player | Pos | Ht | Wt | Birth Date | Exp | College |
| 31 | Jarrett Allen | C | 6-11 | 243 | April 21, 1998 | 4 | Texas |
| 1 | Justin Anderson | SF | 6-6 | 230 | November 19, 1993 | 5 | Virginia |
| 6 | Moses Brown | C | 7-2 | 245 | October 13, 1999 | 2 | UCLA |
| 21 | Ed Davis | C | 6-9 | 218 | June 5, 1989 | 11 | UNC |
| 99 | Tacko Fall | C | 7-6 | 311 | December 10, 1995 | 2 | Central Florida |
| 12 | Tim Frazier | PG | 6-0 | 170 | November 1, 1990 | 7 | Penn State |
| 10 | Darius Garland | PG | 6-1 | 192 | January 26, 2000 | 2 | Vanderbilt |
| 00, 26 | Brandon Goodwin | PG | 6-0 | 180 | October 2, 1995 | 3 | Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast |
| 12 | Luke Kornet | C | 7-2 | 250 | July 15, 1995 | 4 | Vanderbilt |
| 3 | Caris LeVert | SG | 6-6 | 205 | August 25, 1994 | 5 | Michigan |
| 0 | Kevin Love | C | 6-8 | 251 | September 7, 1988 | 13 | UCLA |
| 24 | Lauri Markkanen | SF | 7-0 | 240 | May 22, 1997 | 4 | Arizona |
| 4 | Evan Mobley | PF | 7-0 | 215 | June 18, 2001 | R | USC |
| 5 | RJ Nembhard Jr. | SG | 6-5 | 200 | March 22, 1999 | R | TCU |
| 14 | Malik Newman | PG | 6-3 | 190 | February 21, 1997 | 1 | Mississippi State, Kansas |
| 35 | Isaac Okoro | SF | 6-5 | 225 | January 26, 2001 | 1 | Auburn |
| 16 | Cedi Osman | SF | 6-7 | 230 | April 8, 1995 | 4 | |
| 6 | Kevin Pangos | PG | 6-2 | 179 | January 26, 1993 | R | Gonzaga |
| 1 | Rajon Rondo | PG | 6-1 | 180 | February 22, 1986 | 15 | Kentucky |
| 3 | Ricky Rubio | PG | 6-2 | 190 | October 21, 1990 | 10 | |
| 15 | Tre Scott | SF | 6-8 | 225 | November 25, 1996 | R | Cincinnati |
| 2 | Collin Sexton | SG | 6-1 | 190 | January 4, 1999 | 3 | Alabama |
| 8 | Lamar Stevens | PF | 6-6 | 230 | July 9, 1997 | 1 | Penn State |
| 45 | Denzel Valentine | SG | 6-4 | 220 | November 16, 1993 | 4 | Michigan State |
| 32 | Dean Wade | PF | 6-9 | 228 | November 20, 1996 | 2 | Kansas State |
| 9 | Dylan Windler | SF | 6-6 | 196 | September 22, 1996 | 1 | Belmont |
Assistant Coaches and Staff
| Stephen Spiro | Trainer |
| Derek Millender | Strength and Conditioning |
| Mike Gerrity | Assistant Coach |
| Antonio Lang | Assistant Coach |
| Greg Buckner | Assistant Coach |
| J.J. Outlaw | Assistant Coach |
| Sidney Lowe | Assistant Coach |
Conclusion
The Cleveland Cavaliers championships had a great season and made it to the Finals. Thanks for reading this article. They were a force to be reckoned with.
