2002–03 Cleveland Cavaliers season

Keith Smart (9–31)

The 2002–03 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 33rd season for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association. In the 2002 NBA draft, the Cavaliers selected shooting guard Dajuan Wagner from the University of Memphis with the sixth overall pick, and selected power forward Carlos Boozer out of Duke University with the 34th overall pick. During the off-season, the team acquired Darius Miles from the Los Angeles Clippers.

After a 2–2 start to the regular season, the Cavaliers suffered a dreadful 15-game losing streak between November and December. The team continued to struggle as head coach John Lucas was fired, and replaced with Keith Smart after an 8–34 start to the season. At mid-season, Tyrone Hill was released to free agency, and re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, while Bimbo Coles was also released and signed with the Boston Celtics. The Cavaliers finished in last place in the Central Division with a 17–65 record, which was tied for the worst record in the league along with the Denver Nuggets; it was also the team's worst record since the 1981–82 season.

Despite their awful season, Ricky Davis showed improvement averaging 20.6 points, 5.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas averaged 17.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, and was selected for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, while Boozer made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, averaging 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Wagner averaged 13.4 points per game, but only played just 47 games due to a knee injury.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Wagner and Boozer were both selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as members of the Rookies team. Following the season, Jumaine Jones was traded to the Boston Celtics.