2011 National Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF) Ambassador Represents Cavaliers @ NBA Lottery
Nick “Picks” Gilbert To Take Stage for the Wine and Gold!
Courtesy of www.cavs.com – The Cleveland Cavaliers today announced their representation at the upcoming NBA draft lottery in Secaucus, New Jersey next Tuesday, May 17th.
On stage as the official Cavs representative will be 2011 National Children’s Tumor Foundation Ambassador, Nick Gilbert who is also the 14-year-old son of Cavaliers Chairman and Majority Owner Dan Gilbert.
Serving as the team’s observer in the separate room where the ping-pong ball “lottery” drawing actually takes place, will be Cavaliers Vice-Chairman and Minority Owner Jeff “The Inspector” Cohen. Dan Gilbert will also attend and observe the stage production.
As the 2011 CTF ambassador, Nick’s role as the Cavaliers representative on-stage comes with important additional responsibilities. The Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF) www.ctf.org is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the more than 1 in 3,000 children born with Neurofibromatosis (NF), a nerve disorder that causes tumors to grow anywhere in the body at any time. May is also NF Awareness Month and, coincidentally, May 17th is also World NF Awareness Day. Nick was born with NF and has successfully and courageously battled the disease his entire life.
“We talk a lot about hero’s in sports but sometimes we overlook the hero’s that are in front of us every day. Nick Gilbert was born with NF more than 14 years ago. Despite enduring brain surgery, the loss of vision in one of his eyes, four long rounds of chemo therapy and countless visits and time in doctor’s offices and hospitals, he has emerged as the happiest and most optimistic person I know. Nick has never complained a single time about the bad card he was dealt, and instead, chooses to focus on all that is good and exciting around him. He is an example of perseverance, determination and life the way it should be lived. Nick is my personal hero. BTW….The kid is also quite lucky, which Cavs fans should take solace in, since he is representing us in the lottery on Tuesday evening!” said father of Nick and Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert.
As part of Nick’s role, he will be using social media to share his special experience as the Cavaliers official on-stage representative via his Twitter account @CavsNick.
Nick will be Tweeting starting immediately and continuing through the lottery event, including behind the scenes photos and special chances to win exclusive Cavaliers, Fathead and other very special prizes. In addition, followers can help support the fight against NF by simply texting CTF to 20222 to donate $10 or visiting www.ctf.org/cavsnick to make a donation. Fans and media alike are invited and encouraged to follow @CavsNick on Twitter and re-tweet Nick’s tweets to share the fun and help the cause. To “follow” @CavsNick, please visit www.Twitter.com/CavsNick now.
The Cavaliers and Dan Gilbert will together match dollar for dollar all funds raised for CTF from this initiative running up through the NBA lottery.
“I am pumped up to rep the Cavs in New Jersey at the NBA Lottery this Tuesday night. I will do everything I can to help bring the highest picks to Cleveland as well as raising additional funds for the foundation,” said the teenage Gilbert.
The Cavs currently have two 1st round lottery picks plus two second round picks in the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft which is taking place on June 23rd. The lottery drawing on May 17th will determine the order in which the lottery teams choose their draft picks. The Cavs have the second most ping pong ball combinations in the lottery with 227 (out of 1,000 total combinations used in the elaborate NBA lottery system). This represents 199 combinations obtained via the Cavaliers own pick, plus an additional 28 combinations with the lottery pick acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the deal made with the Clippers at the trade deadline this season. The 2011 NBA Draft Lottery will be broadcast live on ESPN TV next Tuesday, May 17th starting at 8:00 p.m.
