Cavs to retire Big Z's No. 11 jersey

[Sakkreth]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24117025/cavs-to-retire-zydrunas-ilgauskas-no-11-jersey
The Cavaliers will retire Zydrunas Ilgauskas' No. 11 jersey March 8 against the New York Knicks.

http://www.basketnews.lt/paveikslelis-11736-bg.jpg

[StateProperty]

why?

[jstern]

why?

If you remember, he won MVP for the rookie game.

[aj1987]

why?
Probable to piss off Lebron? Dan Gilbert is a salty hoe.

[Sakkreth]

Main factor must be loyalty and dedication, was quality player aswell despite in many cases career ending foot injuries.

[RagaZ]

That is too much.

Teams retires waaay too many numbers. Its pathetic.

[TheReal Kendall]

:biggums:

What has this scrub accomplished???????

[Uncle Drew]

Probable to piss off Lebron? Dan Gilbert is a salty hoe.
Lol, shut up. Not every move the Cavs make is related to LeBron.

[Uncle Drew]

:biggums:

What has this scrub accomplished???????
Z has meant a lot to the city and the franchise. Sometimes accolades aren't the most important thing. If anyone deserves this, it's him.

[aj1987]

Lol, shut up. Not every move the Cavs make is related to LeBron.
I was being sarcastic. Dan Gilbert is still a salty hoe doe.

[TheReal Kendall]

Z has meant a lot to the city and the franchise. Sometimes accolades aren't the most important thing. If anyone deserves this, it's him.

Didn't he leave when Lebron left??? :facepalm

[MP.Trey]

:biggums:

What has this scrub accomplished???????
16 year tenure with the Cavs.
2 time all star.
All-Rookie first team and Rookie game MVP.
17/9 with 2 blocks on 47% was his best season but even that came after multiple foot surgeries. Warrior and fan favorite in all his years.

I'm sure there's worse candidates.

[CJ Mustard]

At least he made an Allstar team. A lot more understandable than the Spurs retiring Bruce Bowen's number.

[Uncle Drew]

Didn't he leave when Lebron left??? :facepalm
So what?

[jstern]

16 year tenure with the Cavs.
2 time all star.
All-Rookie first team and Rookie game MVP.
17/9 with 2 blocks on 47% was his best season but even that came after multiple foot surgeries. Warrior and fan favorite in all his years.

I'm sure there's worse candidates.

He played 12 years with the Cavs though.

[Meticode]

So what?
No. He was actually expected to retire. LeBron convinced him to come play for the Heat because they felt they could win.

Almost all Cavalier fans hold much respect for Big Z. I'm glad he came out to be a solid center in his career and he kept at it even with the early food injuries.

He was awesome on tip-backs and had a wet 18 foot J for a 7'3" 260 pound center.

[TheReal Kendall]

At least he made an Allstar team. A lot more understandable than the Spurs retiring Bruce Bowen's number.

Bowen was a defensive specialist.

He meant way more to the Spurs than Big Z did with the Cavs.

Bowen's defense was key in those 3 rings

[B-Low]

Z is #1 in franchise history in just about every category that LeBron isn't #1 in. Definitely well deserved for one of my favorites :cheers:

[Meticode]

Main factor must be loyalty and dedication, was quality player aswell despite in many cases career ending foot injuries.
Foot injuries really set him back, but had played pretty healthy after he got totally healthy and was a one of the top centers in the league for a little while.

[TheReal Kendall]

No. He was actually expected to retire. LeBron convinced him to come play for the Heat because they felt they could win.

Almost all Cavalier fans hold much respect for Big Z. I'm glad he came out to be a solid center in his career and he kept at it even with the early food injuries.

He was awesome on tip-backs and had a wet 18 foot J for a 7'3" 260 pound center.

I'm not saying y'all don't respect him but IMO he hasn't done much for his jersey to be retired.

[Meticode]

Bowen was a defensive specialist.

He meant way more to the Spurs than Big Z did with the Cavs.

Bowen's defense was key in those 3 rings
Still doesn't change the fact that Z > Bowen.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Pretty pathetic. Cleveland has enough unworthy retired numbers as it is

[Meticode]

I'm not saying y'all don't respect him but IMO he hasn't done much for his jersey to be retired.
It depends on the franchise and the quality of players that come through the organization. Obviously he played for a team like the Celtics or Lakers he wouldn't have his number retired, but Cleveland doesn't see to many players come through their organization that are good players. Much less stay with the same team for 12 straight years which is almost unheard of now-a-days.

Personally, I think he deserves it to be retired for the Cavaliers franchise. He was a great player minus the foot injuries, showed dedication and respect.

[Meticode]

Pretty pathetic. Cleveland has enough unworthy retired numbers as it is
Sorry. Cleveland doesn't get the Michael Jordans, Kobe Bryants and Larry Bird's of the world.

Oh wait, we did. And he left. Nevermind.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Still doesn't change the fact that Z > Bowen.

Bowen was way more of a difference maker.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Sorry. Cleveland doesn't get the Michael Jordans, Kobe Bryants and Larry Bird's of the world.

So that means you guys should retire Bingo Smith's number? Or 2 years of Nate Thurmond?

[D.J.]

Ilgauskas was a Cav for many years and was extremely loyal. Doctors told him in 2000 to retire, but he kept playing. He missed all of 1996-97 and played in just 29 games from 1999-2001. Then add his wife giving birth to stillborn twins and he went through a lot. It's not like he was a scrub. He was pushing a double-double with almost 2 BPG at his peak. He deserves to have his number retired. Couldn't have happened to be a better guy. :applause:

[MP.Trey]

He played 12 years with the Cavs though.
My bad. I meant to put 14 which would be counting since his draft date to his leaving the team. He did however miss 2 (and chunks of other) seasons due to injuries.

[TheReal Kendall]

Sorry. Cleveland doesn't get the Michael Jordans, Kobe Bryants and Larry Bird's of the world.

Oh wait, we did. And he left. Nevermind.

That's true but that still doesn't mean that they have to retire mediocre players.

Might as well retire Mo Williams jersey also.

[Meticode]

So that means you guys should retire Bingo Smith's number? Or 2 years of Nate Thurmond?
I don't know about those guys, but I feel Z 100% should have his number retired as a Cavalier. Period.

[Meticode]

That's true but that still doesn't mean that they have to retire mediocre players.

Might as well retire Mo Williams jersey also.
Only played a few seasons with Cleveland, not worthy. Z is worthy of it.

[Uncle Drew]

If Andy V is able to stay healthy for four or five more years, he'll probably get his jersey retired too. In fact, I am almost 100% sure he will.

[D.J.]

That's true but that still doesn't mean that they have to retire mediocre players.

Might as well retire Mo Williams jersey also.


Mo Williams was a Cav for 2 1/2 seasons. Z was there for 14, was a solid 15-16/8 2 BPG player and was a multiple time All-Star.

[Meticode]

If Andy V is able to stay healthy for four or five more years, he'll probably get his jersey retired too. In fact, I am almost 100% sure he will.
Hope not, even with what you mentioned.

[Uncle Drew]

Hope not, even with what you mentioned.
I'm fully expecting him to. He's already going into his 10th year as a Cavalier, that's a lot. Might have an All Star appearance or two at that time too. I think he would deserve it, if he can stay healthy, of course.

[TheReal Kendall]

I'm fully expecting him to. He's already going into his 10th year as a Cavalier, that's a lot. Might have an All Star appearance or two at that time too. I think he would deserve it, if he can stay healthy, of course.

Geez! I feel sorry for Cavs fans.

Andy V getting his jersey retired is a bigger joke than Big Z.

[D.J.]

I'm fully expecting him to. He's already going into his 10th year as a Cavalier, that's a lot. Might have an All Star appearance or two at that time too. I think he would deserve it, if he can stay healthy, of course.


Z's career was supposed to be over in 2000. He had multiple foot surgeries and bounced back to be a top 5(or borderline) center at his best and an All-Star. Varejao's best staistical seasons, he only played in 25 games each time. And he's not nearly as respected as Ilgauskas.

[Uncle Drew]

Z's career was supposed to be over in 2000. He had multiple foot surgeries and bounced back to be a top 5(or borderline) center at his best and an All-Star. Varejao's best staistical seasons, he only played in 25 games each time. And he's not nearly as respected as Ilgauskas.
Yeah, I know. As I said in a previous post, Z has meant a lot to both the city and the franchise. But if Andy could get to those 15 years (which I think he won't), he might have a case.

[magnax1]

He was an all star who played there for a decade. Besides, who else do they have to retire other than price?

[D.J.]

Yeah, I know. As I said in a previous post, Z has meant a lot to both the city and the franchise. But if Andy could get to those 15 years (which I think he won't), he might have a case.


Even if he did, just hasn't done enough on or off the court. He didn't even crack double digit points until the lockout season. 15 seasons isn't going to matter. He's 31 coming off a major injury and hasn't done anything significant in any full season he's played.

[TylerOO]

I heard Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall are getting their's retired too.

[Meticode]

I heard Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall are getting their's retired too.
They didn't play here long enough.

[FatComputerNerd]

I heard Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall are getting their's retired too.

Don't forget Ira Newble!

J/K. Big Z deserves it. Congratulations to him I say! :cheers:

[Meticode]

Favorite time during his career was when he rocked the beard...

http://www.orble.com/im/006/06/zydrunas-ilgauskas-beard1.jpg

[DukeDelonte13]

Not one cavs fan is surprised.

I'm glad he's still a part of the organization.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Geez! I feel sorry for Cavs fans.

Andy V getting his jersey retired is a bigger joke than Big Z.

No it isn't. Andy V had a greater impact on those Cavs playoff teams than Big Z did.

[Meticode]

No it isn't. Andy V had a greater impact on those Cavs playoff teams than Big Z did.
Yes, no, maybe. The issue with Varejao at this point is he can't stay on the floor. At least after Z got past his injury riddled early years he was able to play consistently every year in most of the games. Not to mention Z is the second in team history in scoring, and leads the team in a number of different stats as well.

[QuebecBaller]

http://blog.cleveland.com/startingblocks/2009/04/large_ilgauskas-rookie.jpg

[Nets fan 93]

Well deserved! Dude was a warrior I've always liked his game. Stuck with Cleveland when they sucked to when they were a championship callibre team.

[TheBigVeto]

why?

He is a Cleveland legend.

[Xiao Yao You]

Congrats Big Z! Well deserved. :applause:

[East_Stone_Ya]

what a nice gesture to award Z for all his years with the Cavs :applause:

[LJJ]

No it isn't. Andy V had a greater impact on those Cavs playoff teams than Big Z did.

So? In time Andy V will get his jersey retired by Cleveland too.

[tmacattack33]

He did stay there for 14 years. That's a ridiculously long time. He was an all-star twice too.

It's still funny though.

[kaiteng]

Who knows Z could even play at a high level that long after multiple foot surgeries, which usually derails many so big men's basketball careers, and with the same team for more than 10 years?

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[HylianNightmare]

well deserved, my favorite memory of Z will be him being too damn slow to stop dwight in the 09 ECF, thanks guy

[DukeDelonte13]

well deserved, my favorite memory of Z will be him being too damn slow to stop dwight in the 09 ECF, thanks guy


juiced up Rashard, Hedo, and Pietrus all had career f*cking series.

[HylianNightmare]

juiced up Rashard, Hedo, and Pietrus all had career f*cking series.
:rockon: hey man at the time i had no clue, i thought it was hilarious how hedo and rashard both disapeared after those incidents tho:lol

[kurple]

people that dont know shit about the cavs should not talk trash (Silk)

cavs fans know if his jersey should be retired or not.

well done Big Z :cheers:

[rodman91]

Well deserved. Allstar, loyal and he has enough numbers make it. Also he is well beloved in fanbase.

Not everyone suppose to be champion to get their jersey retired. How many teams in NBA able to win a championship since If i didn't forget any, only Boston, Lakers, Sixers, Pistons, Bulls, Rockets Heat, Spurs, Mavs won championships since 80's.

9 teams in more than 30 years.

[Sakkreth]

All of the Cavs fans in this thread agreed with this jersey retirement, imo it speaks for itself if it's right thing or not. Fans of other teams ( probably more of em agreed with this anyways) can have their opinion, but it's more up to Cavs fan themselves to decide.