Larry Nance Jr.

Larry Donnell Nance Jr. (born January 1, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Wyoming, where he was considered one of the best big men in the Mountain West Conference after leading the 2014–15 Wyoming Cowboys to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002. Nance was drafted 27th overall in the 2015 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. In February 2018, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
High school and college career.
Nance attended Revere High School near Akron, Ohio, growing to 6’7” by his senior year after playing point guard for the freshman team standing at . He averaged 18.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a senior for the Minutemen.
In his four-year college career at Wyoming, Nance averaged 11.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 123 games.
Professional career.
Los Angeles Lakers (2015–2018).
On June 25, 2015, Nance was selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. On July 10, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Lakers. He made his NBA debut on November 6 against the Brooklyn Nets, recording six points and five rebounds in a 104–98 win. On December 7, he made his first start for the Lakers after replacing Julius Randle at the starting power forward spot against the Toronto Raptors. On December 27, he recorded his first career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 112–96 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
On November 20, 2016, Nance scored a career-high 18 points in a 118–110 loss to the Chicago Bulls. On December 25, 2016, he was ruled out for four weeks after suffering an injury to his left knee.
On November 3, 2017, Nance was ruled out for four to six weeks after fracturing the second metacarpal on his left hand the previous night against the Portland Trail Blazers. He missed 11 games as a result.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2018–present).
On February 8, 2018, Nance was traded, along with Jordan Clarkson, to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and a 2018 first-round draft pick. After playing his first two games as a Cavalier with No. 24, he switched to No. 22 permanently on February 22 after the NBA allowed him to wear his father's retired No. 22 jersey. On March 5, 2018, he posted career highs with 22 points and 15 rebounds in his first start for Cleveland, as the Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons 112–90. On March 13, 2018, in a 129–107 win over the Phoenix Suns, Nance had only four points, ending his career-best string of seven consecutive double-digit scoring games. Nance helped the Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals in 2018, where they lost 4–0 to the Golden State Warriors.
On October 15, 2018, Nance signed a four-year, $44.8 million contract extension with the Cavaliers. On December 18, 2018, he had 15 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, six assists and the first game-winning shot of his pro career to give the Cavaliers a 92–91 win over the Indiana Pacers. On January 8, 2019, against the Pacers, he suffered a right knee MCL sprain. He subsequently missed eight games. On February 8, he recorded a career-high 19 rebounds in a 119–106 loss to the Washington Wizards.
Personal life.
Nance is the son of Larry Nance, a former professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns. Nance Sr. was a three-time NBA All-Star and won the league's first Slam Dunk Contest. Nance Jr. was a participant in the 2018 Slam Dunk Contest, coming in second. One of the younger Nance's dunks was a tribute to his father, as he wore a retro 1984 Phoenix Suns uniform and performed a cradle dunk as his father had done that year to win the inaugural dunk contest. Larry Sr. and Jr. later teamed up for an alley-oop dunk, with the elder Nance throwing the ball up to his son, who slammed it through the hoop.
At the age of 16, Nance Jr. was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
Nance Jr.'s brother, Pete, also played basketball at Revere High School, and is currently in college playing basketball at Northwestern.
Outside of the NBA, Nance supports soccer club Chelsea F.C.
In 2018, Larry married his longtime girlfriend, Hailey Pince.