Danny Ferry's 917-game career culminated with the 2002-03 NBA Championship.
Andrew D. Bernstein
NBAE/Getty Images
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If you ask people – even ardent Cavalier fans – who holds the record for games-played by a Cavalier, the responses you’re likely to get are Mark Price, Bingo Smith or even Hot Rod Williams.
But the one man who has donned the Cavalier colors more than any other player is none other than Danny Ferry.
Ferry, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft arrived in Cleveland amidst a swirl of controversy and left as a free agent 723 games later. With the Cavaliers, Ferry played in two arenas and for three coaches. The former Naismith Award winner finished his career in Cleveland with a 7.8 ppg average; his best season was 1995-96, when he scored at a 13.3 clip in 82 games.
Ferry was part of two distinctly different playoff teams and made six trips to the postseason with the Cavaliers. Ferry was there when Price and Brad Daugherty were cutting their playoff teeth and when a rookie named Zydrunas Ilgauskas got his first and only taste of the postseason in 1998.
But he never reached the NBA pinnacle until he left the North Coast for the Lone Star State as a free agent in 2001.
The former Blue Devil was a part of the Spurs team that took home the Larry O’Brien trophy after the 2002-03 season, his and David Robinson’s last. But it wasn’t Ferry’s final season in San Antonio. He is currently the Spurs’ Director of Basketball Operations.
When clevelandcavaliers.com spoke caught up with Ferry, he was pulling double-duty: watching tape from the Spurs’ big Sunday afternoon road win over the Phoenix Suns and preparing for the NBA Draft Lottery, which takes place on Tuesday night, May 24. The father of four girls talked about his new front office position with the Spurs, winning the NBA Championship in his final year and, of course, his Cavalier memories.
Are there any similarities between the Spurs and Cavaliers?
Danny Ferry: Well, they’re both in the NBA. (laughs) The Cavs have gone through such big changes in the last few years, some good and some bad.
One great thing about the Spurs is just the stability of the organization. This team has great stability from the ownership right through to the coaching staff with Gregg Popovich. Hopefully, going forward that’s something that happens for the Cavs. Because having stability is a huge key for any organization.
Do you ever have a chance to follow the Cavaliers from San Antonio?
DF: When you play in Cleveland as long as I did, you have deep feelings for the team and the city and the community. So I keep an eye on the Cavaliers and I’ll always be a Cavs fan. And I’ll always consider myself a Cav. But right now, I’d have to say I bleed black and silver.
Somewhere in there are my Cavalier colors and always Blue Devil blue. (Laughs) I think I’ll always be both.
What are some of your duties as President of Basketball Operations with the Spurs?
DF: I’m involved in all parts of the decision making process: Scouting, contracts, the collective bargaining agreement. I’ll be in negotiations with free agents, draft choices. Right now I’m preparing for tonight’s Draft Lottery.
Ferry appeared in six postseasons with Cleveland.
Jonathan Daniel
NBAE/Getty Images
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How did you wind up in the Spurs front office?
DF: When I was done playing, the Spurs asked me to be a part of the organization. I work with great people. They’ve been great with me. I was able to be a part of an NBA Championship organization as a player and now in the front office, so it’s been a wonderful opportunity for me. My heart is in San Antonio.
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers were part of the sports landscape. In San Antonio, the Spurs are the only game in town. What’s that like?
DF: In San Antonio more than most cities there’s more of a collegiate atmosphere. The team – because they’re the only professional team in town – is rooted in the fabric of the city. They’re involved in the community. The relationship goes deep for the people; as fans they’re so strong and so passionate. San Antonio’s unique in that regard.
What are your goals as a member of the Spurs’ braintrust?
DF: My goal now is to be a good contributor to what we’re doing here; help us make decisions to win the Championship today tomorrow and for years to come. That’s the goal and that’s the focus. I really enjoy what I’m doing.
That’s the focus, and someday being a GM somewhere would be a goal of mine.
Do you have any regrets from your playing days?
DF: No. I got to pay basketball for living for a long time. It’s something I would have been doing in the park after work if I didn’t play in the league. To be able to do it full time for 13 years as a profession is unbelievable. I got to know people I’ve got to know.
From my time in Cleveland – getting to know guys like Mark Price, Larry Nance, Brad Daugherty and Steve Kerr to San Antonio, with guys like David Robinson and Tim Duncan, it’s just been such a great opportunity.
Is there a favorite moment you look back on in a Cavaliers uniform?
DF: I don’t think there’s one specific moment. There’s a bunch of moments, times that I look back at. (The Cavaliers) getting to the Eastern Conference Finals was very exciting to be part of.
And, I’d have to say the year we finished fourth seed when nobody expected us to. The team with Bobby Phills and Terrell Brandon and Mike Fratello; we really overachieved that year and it’s always rewarding to overachieve. Cleveland was such a great experience. I loved living there and playing there. They were great memories.
I’m really fortunate to be associated with two of the best organizations in the NBA.
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