Cleveland Cavaliers: Which cult hero will have the better career with the team?

Will F Cedi Osman take over PG Matthew Dellavedova’s throne as Cleveland Cavaliers top cult hero?

It’s been a few seasons since Cleveland Cavaliers fans have gotten to enjoy the grittiness Matthew Dellavedova brought to the basketball court. That draught might be coming to an end as rookie Cedi Osman continues to light up Cavs’ twitter on a consistent basis.

The 2015 second-round pick has been the one consistent lightning bolt on Cleveland’s roster this season, who has since managed to work his way into the starting lineup.

As his role continues to grow, one must ask… will Osman have a better career with the Cavaliers than Delly?

We will need to look back at Delly’s career to really put in perspective everything he did to earn his cult hero title and fanfare. The first things that come to mind when I think of Dellavedova playing for the Cavs are…

1. The Hawaiian shirt and Corona can photo in Las Vegas, NV after the Cavs beat the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
2. In game two of the 2015 finals, Delly held PG Steph Curry to 0-8 shooting and four turnovers while guarding him.
3. Delly was so dehydrated after game three of the 2015 Finals he needed an IV postgame and had to go to the hospital.
4. His effort, toughness, and knack to always be first to a loose ball.

I will never forget that Hawaiian shirt.

What else did Delly do well? He knew how to play well with F LeBron James.

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During the Cavs’ title run in 2016, he made 46% of his threes with LeBron on the court compared to 33% without.

We knew when he was on the floor with the king, great things would happen. Overall, Dellavedova had a wonderful couple of solid years in Cleveland before jetting off to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Following his departure, the Cavs drafted Cleveland State point guard Kay Felder. However, the rookie struggled to find playing time due to his poor play. Cavs fans had no cult hero to get behind. That brought upon us…

#CEDISZN

Basketball twitter has crowned Cedi’s awakening as #CEDISZN. If you search that hashtag you will find some great memes and Cavs fans raving about his recent play. Here’s an example:

One thing we all know, as soon as a “SZN” has been added to the end of your name, you are immediately a big deal. All jokes aside, the rookie from Turkey has been adding a youthful energy to the Cavs’ lineup they desperately craved.

Osman is averaging an impressive 14 points, 5.5 rebounds, three assists and two steals since being inserted with the starters. According to ESPN.com’s Dave McMenamin, Cavs head coach Ty Lue said:

"“He only planned to start Osman against Atlanta while the Cavs waited for their four new players to they acquired at the trade deadline. But after the way Osman played against the Hawks, he earned a start against the Boston Celtics. And after the way he played against the Celtics — helping Cleveland to its second straight win with him as a starter — he earned a start against the Thunder.”"

Osman, born in Macedonia, has played professional basketball since he was 14. That experience directly correlates to his decision-making. He consistently makes the correct play on offense while bringing a relentless effort on defense.

Highlighting his versatility, Lue recently has tasked the rookie with guarding all-star G/F Jimmy Butler and PG Kyrie Irving for extended periods of time. That responsibility takes an enormous amount of trust from the coach and his teammates.

Look for his role to only expand as he continues to accumulate NBA minutes and experience.

As of right now, Dellavedova has had the better cult hero career in a Cavs uniform. Delly helped bring home the first championship to the city of Cleveland in over 50 years. That will resonate with the Cavs fans forever.

There is also the Hawaiian shirt, of course. We cannot forget about that. As for Osman, he has a chance to make a bigger impact than Delly ever did. With his size at 6’8’’, he is able to guard all the positions on the floor and can push the pace at any moment.

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Delly was great in his role off the bench but his talent had a ceiling. Osman has a chance to bloom into a legit starter in this league for the Cavaliers this year and beyond.