CLEVELAND -- Larry Nance Jr. has already worn his father's No. 22 jersey once this season, donning a throwback uniform during the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend.
Next week, he'll make the move permanent. Prior to his home debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, Nance Jr., the son of Cavs great Larry Nance, told reporters he'll begin wearing his father's No. 22 jersey with the team next week.
Nance Sr.'s jersey will continue to hang in the rafters at Quicken Loans Arena and will still officially be "retired." Nance Jr. currently wears No. 24 for the Cavs.
Upon his son being traded to his former team two weeks ago, the elder Nance said he had called the Cavs and asked that Nance Jr. be allowed to wear his No. 22, which was retired in 1995. Nance Sr., however, said his son insisted the jersey remain retired out of respect for his father.
"As soon as he called me and let me know that he got traded to Cleveland, I called the Cavs and said ‘He can have the number. Please give him the number,'” Nance Sr. told ESPN Radio's Golic & Wingo. "And I think he was calling, saying, ‘My dad deserves to keep that up there.’"
But after Nance Jr. -- who wore No. 22 at Akron Revere and Wyoming before having to switch to No. 7 with the Los Angeles Lakers -- declined, Nance Sr. said he would spend the summer attempting to change his son's mind.
Apparently, he didn't need that much time.
The Cavs acquired the younger Nance -- along with Jordan Clarkson -- at the NBA trade deadline two weeks ago in a deal that sent Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and a 2018 first-round pick to the Lakers. Since acquiring Nance Jr., Clarkson -- as well as Rodney Hill and George Hill -- the Cavs have won two straight games and are overall currently in the midst of a four-game winning streak.
Returning to action after the NBA All-Star break, Nance Jr. will make his home debut in Cleveland on Thursday night when the Cavs host the Washington Wizards at 8 p.m.
After that, it won't be long until the high-flying forward re-debuts a familiar pair of digits under the name on his Cavs jersey.
