Ricky Davis

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Lore & Background

Davis's time in Cleveland was marked by a specific clash with coach Paul Silas, creating tension throughout his stay. The most infamous moment occurred on March 16, 2003, during a game against the Utah Jazz. With the Cavaliers leading 120–95 and less than seven seconds remaining, Davis needed one rebound for his first career triple-double. He deliberately tossed an inbound pass off his own rim to catch it as a rebound. This act was invalidated because shots taken at one's own basket do not count as official field goal attempts. Jazz guard DeShawn Stevenson shoved him upcourt, and head coach Jerry Sloan defended the shove, stating, 'I would have fouled him too. I would have knocked him on his ass.' Although the Cavaliers initially claimed embarrassment was sufficient punishment, public backlash forced them to fine Davis an undisclosed amount for unsportsmanlike conduct.

In Their Own Story

The incident against Utah Jazz in March 2003 became a defining chapter of Davis's Cleveland career. In the dying seconds of a blowout victory, Davis saw his chance at a triple-double slip away until he engineered a rebound off his own backboard. The play was immediately scrutinized; while the stats were corrected to deny him the milestone, the spectacle dominated headlines. The incident earned him the nickname 'Wrong Rim Ricky' in Cleveland. Years later, in 2025, Davis would appear on the 'Out the Mud' podcast and falsely claim he had been one rebound or assist short of a triple-double in each of his previous five games leading up to that moment. In reality, his closest call in those five games was recording seven rebounds and seven assists.

Reader's Guide

Davis played for the Cavaliers from October 26, 2001, until his trade on December 15, 2003, where he moved to the Boston Celtics along with Chris Mihm, Michael Stewart, and a second-round pick in exchange for Tony Battie, Eric Williams, and Kedrick Brown. During his Cleveland stint, he was known for high-energy play and exciting dunks, though his relationship with coach Paul Silas was strained. He was re-signed to a six-year contract on August 21, 2002, but the team's direction shifted after the controversial triple-double incident. Fans remember him not just for his athletic contributions off the bench or starter duties, but for the unique infamy of trying to pad stats in a meaningless final possession.

Did You Know?

• Davis was selected by the Charlotte Hornets as the 21st pick overall in the 1998 NBA draft, not the 4th.
• He received a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct after intentionally rebounding his own inbound pass against the Utah Jazz on March 16, 2003.
• Jerry Sloan, the Utah Jazz head coach at the time, publicly stated he would have fouled Davis too to prevent the stat-padding attempt.
• Davis was nicknamed 'Wrong Rim Ricky' by Cleveland fans following his failed triple-double attempt.
• In 2025, Davis falsely claimed on a podcast that he had been near a triple-double in five consecutive games; his actual closest game in that span was 7 rebounds and 7 assists.