SPORTS digest Son of Cavs owner to undergo brain surgery

CLEVELAND

Nick Gilbert, the son of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert who became a good-luck charm during the NBA lottery, will undergo major brain surgery this week.

A team spokesman said the 21-year-old Michigan State student will have the operation in Detroit.

Gilbert was born with neurofibromatosis, a nerve disorder that causes tumors. He has undergone previous surgeries for the genetic illness.

In 2011, the younger Gilbert endeared himself to Cavs fans when he represented the team at the draft lottery.

Wearing a bowtie and dark-rimmed glasses at the event, the then-14-year-old Gilbert cracked “What’s not to like?” when asked how it felt that his dad considered him his “personal hero.”

Dan Gilbert, who has five children, serves on the board for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, which is trying to find a cure for his son’s condition.