CLEVELAND, Ohio — Some moments in life come full circle as if destiny itself is guiding the way. For Max Strus, Monday night was one of those moments.
As a kid from the South Side of Chicago, he counted down the days each year to a special event. His uncle, who passed away in 2017, worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield, and through him, they attended a Chicago Bears charity bowling event.
Strus had always dreamed of having a similar event of his own.
Now, years later, he stood under the warm glow of alley lights at the Corner Alley, hosting his inaugural Bowl the Land event.
It was the first footprint of his Max Strus Family Foundation, which was launched in early January, in Cleveland.
A beginning written in the laughter of his Cavs teammates, the clatter of falling pins, and the unspoken understanding that giving back is more than a duty. It’s a privilege.
Fans had the chance to bowl and mingle with their favorite stars from the NBA’s top team, with all proceeds benefiting charity. But the night was about more than just the money.
It was about honoring where Strus came from and embracing where he is now. It was about family — his own, the one he’s creating in Cleveland, and the strangers who will one day call his foundation a lifeline.
“This is kind of my first step to help in the Cleveland area,” Strus said.
With every step he took through the buzzing venue, Strus embodied the message stitched onto the hat he wore — Family over Everything.
Those words are a way of life for Strus, an unshakable belief that had shaped him, guided him, and now, propelled him forward.
Max Strus stands beside his family at his inaugural Bowl the Land event at the Corner Alley on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.Cleveland.com
His own family traveled from near and far to stand beside him on this night. His brother, Marty, the high school basketball coach at their alma mater — Amos Alonzo Stagg High School — had a game the next night but boarded a flight anyway, unwilling to miss the moment. His brother-in-law, Michael Sommer, made the five-and-a-half-hour drive after a long night with DePaul’s basketball team, only to turn around and leave at dawn.
And then there was his other family.
The entire Cavs organization came together at the Corner Alley to support Max Strus’ inaugural Bowl the Land event on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.Cleveland.com
The Cavs, in the middle of a grueling stretch of three games in four days, showed up in full force. Players, coaches, front-office staff all were in attendance, proving that the bonds within this team stretched beyond the hardwood.
“The NBA is an interesting place,” Strus said with a knowing smile. “If you could find a team where everybody gets together and everybody treats it like family. It’s honestly hard to find. So we know how special that is and we don’t take that for granted. This group is very unique in that way, and I couldn’t be more happy to be a part of it.”
This was just the beginning.
On a night filled with joy, old memories intertwined with new beginnings. The echoes of childhood dreams met the reality of a man determined to leave his mark in the hearts of those who call this city home.
Because, for Strus, family isn’t a word he uses lightly.
“The end goal is to positively impact the Greater Cleveland area,” Strus said. “It’s not really about the money, but it is because you want to raise as much money as you can to help the most amount of people that you can.
“With everything that we’re doing at this event, it’s not just for one charity. We want to touch everybody’s lives and do a lot of different things in the community so that we can keep spreading joy, spreading happiness, and have our fingerprints all over this city.”