CLEVELAND — For Revere High School graduate Larry Nance Jr., reaching his 10th NBA season doesn’t qualify as a milestone.
Traded to the Atlanta Hawks in July, Nance has his eye on 13 seasons for a very specific reason.
“My dad had 13. Once I get to 13 one day, then I’ll celebrate a little bit. That’s the benchmark. Once I pass him in tenure, then I can celebrate a little bit,” Nance told the Beacon Journal after the Hawks defeated the Cavaliers 135-124 on Wednesday night.
A Cavs player from 2018-21 and the oldest son of Cavaliers legend Larry Nance Sr., Nance had family in attendance at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. He then celebrated Thanksgiving with them in Northeast Ohio because the Hawks (8-11) were off Thursday ahead of their Emirates NBA Cup game with the Cavs (17-2) on Friday afternoon in Atlanta.
Nance spent the past two-plus seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans. He played in 61 games during the 2023-24 regular season and 65 the previous season. He has played in nine of 19 games this season with the Hawks, averaging 7.9 points on 65.1% shooting from the field, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15.6 minutes. He didn’t play in Atlanta’s first meeting with the Cavs.
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How does Nance view his role with the Hawks?
“I view it as it happens,” he said. “I’m not trying to get too far ahead. I’m a guy that people know who I am. People know what I do. People know my reputation. So I’m staying in shape, staying fit, staying fighting ready and that’s all you can do at this point.
“I feel the best I’ve felt in years. I had a first healthy summer. I’m shooting it great. I’m really excited about my game, where my game’s at.”
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Meanwhile, Nance’s leadership is valued by his Hawks teammates.
“He’s a model professional,” Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu said. “He’s what you want to see out of a professional athlete. He’s a good dude, hard worker and I’ve learned a lot about him being with him for only about two months now.
“He’s always very alert and cautious about what he puts in his body. He always wants us to make sure that we’re taking care of ourselves. I remember one time I was telling one of these [rookies] to bring something on the plane, and he was trying to make the case that we shouldn’t have cookies or something. I was trying to get cookies for the plane. He was like, ‘No, we can’t do that. We’ve got to take care of our bodies.’ He’s looking out for our best interests.”
Discipline is conducive to longevity. And to be clear, Nance fully expects to surpass his father’s 13-year NBA career. He’ll turn 32 on New Year’s Day.
“I have minimum three, four years at a high level competing,” Nance said. “I know so. [My dad has] got no shot. He’s got 13. I’m hoping to get 15 or 16 out of this thing.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Nance’s younger brother, Pete, is in the infancy of his professional basketball journey. A member of the Cleveland Charge, the NBA G League affiliate of the Cavs, Pete Nance is averaging 18.7 points on 47.9% shooting from the floor, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 blocked shots through seven games this season.
“I just love his aggressiveness hunting his shot,” Larry Nance Jr. said. “He’s starting to put the ball on the ground more. So just keep working. You’ve got to keep rebounding. Keep staying physical. That’s what they want to see from bigs at that level. So I’m in his ear, and I’m rooting for him always.”
Nance explained he’s keeping his dream alive to play in the same NBA game as his 24-year-old brother who appeared in eight Cavs games as a rookie last season.
“I believe it’ll happen,” he said.
In August, Revere retired the No. 22 high school basketball jerseys of Larry Sr. and Jaynee Nance’s three children, daughter Casey and sons Larry Jr. and Pete.
The same number hangs in the rafters of the downtown Cleveland arena the Cavs call home, honoring Larry Nance Sr.’s Cavaliers career, which spanned 1988-94. It’s also the source of Larry Nance Jr.’s favorite memory in the venue.
“The first time I put on 22. It was in 2018. It was a home game against the Spurs. I’ll never forget it,” Larry Nance Jr. said. “I walked in the locker room and saw 22 in my locker. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve gotten to live.”
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Nance donned different attire as he prepared to leave the arena and spend time with family, including his two daughters. He sported a Cleveland Rockers T-shirt, a nod to Rock Entertainment Group ‘s attempt to bring a WNBA team back to the city.
“That’s exactly why I’m wearing that,” Nance said. “I would love a WNBA team back in Cleveland. I would love to support it any way that I can. I would love to get involved. I’ve been a proponent of women’s basketball, and I’ve got two girls myself, so I would love to be able to assist them in any way possible.”
The platform of a professional athlete is certainly a useful tool, one Nance plans to possess for several years to come.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
