LeVert arrived at Michigan weighing 162 pounds (73.5 kg).[8] As a freshman, he began the year behind Stauskas, Robinson,Tim Hardaway Jr., and Matt Vogrich on thedepth chart for theshooting guard/small forward positions and did not play in the first six games as a result.[14] LeVert was a part of an incoming class that included McGary, Stauskas, Robinson, andSpike Albrecht.[15] Eventually, Michiganhead coachJohn Beilein decided that LeVert had value as a perimeter defender and decided to play him rather than redshirt him.[14] On December 1 againstBradley Beilein juggled his lineup: Stauskas made his first career regular season start and LeVert saw his first action.[16][17] By late December, LeVert became the one-on-one partner for Burke after practices.[18] LeVert made his first start on December 29 againstCentral Michigan, whenTim Hardaway Jr. was unavailable. The 3 freshmen in the starting lineup—Robinson, Stauskas and LeVert—combined for 48 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists.[19][20] That night LeVert tallied 9 points and 5 assists.[21] LeVert averaged 2.3points in under 11 minutes of play per game.[15] He never scored in double digits as a freshman,[8] but he scored 8 points each inconference wins overIllinois andMichigan State as well as the2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament final four victory overSyracuse in 21 minutes of play.[8][14]
On May 12, LeVert underwent surgery to repair astress fracture in his foot. He was expected to be sidelined for 8–10 weeks, but be available for the team's August trip to play in Europe.[47] LeVert returned to action just before the team's August 15–24 10-day, 4-game trip to Italy.[48][49]
LeVert was named co-captain of the team along withSpike Albrecht.[63][64] He opened the season with 9 assists againstHillsdale College on November 15, surpassing his previous career-high of five.[65][66] On November 24, againstOregon, LeVert established a career high by making 11free throws helping the team to a 70–63 victory in theLegends Classic semifinal game.[67][68] He posted a career-high 32 points and tied a career-high 4 steals on December 6 in an upset loss toNJIT.[69][70][71] He posted 4 steals again againstMinnesota on January 10.[72][73] On January 17 againstNorthwestern, he reinjured the foot that he had had surgery on the prior May and was lost for the season.[74][75][76] At the time of his injury, LeVert led Michigan in scoring (14.9), rebounds (4.9), assists (3.7), steals (1.7) and minutes (35.8).[77] LeVert was on crutches until early March and in a protective walking boot until early April.[78][79]
LeVert had been expected to be a2015 NBA draft selection, but following his injury some felt his draft stock was impaired.[80] Following the season, he sought advice from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee, but decided that he needed a second evaluation from them as the field of declared underclassmen became more clear with the thinking that "I don't think it really makes sense to (leave school) early and get drafted in the second round".[79] On April 21, LeVert announced that he would return for his senior season.[81][82] According toCBSSports.com's Sam Vecenie, this would give LeVert a chance to improve hispick and roll decision making, his midrange offensive game and his defense, especially againstscreens.[83]
After being sidelined for the final 14 games of the prior season for the2014–15 Wolverines, LeVert began the season with a game-high 18 points and 5 assists as a starter againstNorthern Michigan.[96][97][98] On November 16, againstElon, LeVert tied his career high with four steals.[99][100] On December 5 againstHouston Baptist, LeVert made his first start atpoint guard whileDerrick Walton sat out due to a sprained ankle and posted 25 points and 8 rebounds.[101][102] On December 8, Michigan lost 82–58 to (19/-)[103]SMU as LeVert slumped on 1–13field goal shooting and 3–6 free throw shooting.[104][105] On December 15 againstNorthern Kentucky, LeVert posted 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the fourth player in Michigan program history to record atriple-double, and the 49th Wolverine to eclipse 1,000 career points.[106][107] Based on his triple double against Northern Kentucky and a 19-point effort againstYoungstown State, LeVert earned Co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors (along withMalcolm Hill) on December 21.[108][109] On December 30, Michigan defeatedIllinois 78–68 in its Big Ten Conference opener as LeVert posted a 22-point, 10-assist double-double.[110][111] LeVert missed the January 2 game againstPenn State with a lower left leg injury.[112] At the time, he was the team leader in points, rebounds and assists.[113]
On January 13, LeVert was one of four Big Ten athletes (along withMelo Trimble,Jarrod Uthoff andDenzel Valentine) among the 25 players included in the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List.[114] On the eve of LeVert's sixth missed game, head coach Beilein finally clarified that LeVert's left leg injury was not related to the two previous left foot stress fractures that LeVert had endured.[115] On February 2, LeVert was one of two Big Ten athletes (along withMalcolm Hill) named one of 10 finalists for the Jerry West Award, despite having missed the last 8 of Michigan's 22 games.[116][117][118] On February 10, Brendan F. Quinn ofMLive.com broke the story that LeVert had been cleared to play.[119][120] On February 13, Michigan defeated (#18/16)[121]Purdue 61–56 with LeVert recording five rebounds and one assist in 11 minutes after missing the previous 11 games.[122][123] On March 1, the team announced that the injury would end LeVert's season and collegiate career.[124][125] On March 22, LeVert had a third surgical procedure in 22 months performed on his left foot in New York City by specialist Dr. Martin O'Malley.[126] By late April, the draft stock of LeVert had slipped to the second round.[127] According to the Michigan BasketballTwitter feed, he attended graduation in crutches at the end of April.[128][129] He was invited to the May 11–15NBA Draft Combine.[130][131] While still on crutches at the combine, LeVert clarified that his injury was aJones fracture of the fifthmetatarsal and thatKevin Durant who has the same agency and used the same doctor had called to offer him encouragement.[132]
The day before the2016 NBA draft, LeVert authored an open letter to NBA general managers to assure them of his resiliency in the face of all of his doubters due to his injury.[133] On June 23, LeVert was selected with the 20th overall pick in the 2016 draft by theIndiana Pacers. He became Michigan's fifth first-round draft selection since 2013 and the fourth player drafted from Michigan's 2012 entering class.[134][135] His rights were later traded to theBrooklyn Nets on July 7, in exchange forThaddeus Young.[136] Dr. O'Malley, who had performed LeVert's most recent foot surgery, was on the Brooklyn Nets medical staff at the time of the trade.[137][138] On July 14, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Nets.[139] LeVert missed the2016 NBA Summer League as well as preseason and resumed practicing near the beginning of the regular season.[140] He began the season sidelined and still rehabbing his injury.[141] He was cleared to play on December 4.[142][143] He made his professional debut on December 7 against theDenver Nuggets. Although he went 0-of-3 from the field,[144] he posted 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 9 minutes of play, becoming the first Net to post 3 steals in his debut sinceChris Childs in 1994.[145] LeVert entered at the start of the second quarter and posted 3 steals and 3 rebounds in 5:15 of play before halftime.[146] LeVert scored his first NBA points on December 10 against theSan Antonio Spurs on a back door reverse layup assisted byBrook Lopez.[147] LeVert posted double digit scoring for the first time with 12 points on December 30 against theWashington Wizards and former Michigan one-on-one training partner Burke's season-high 27 points.[148] On February 3, Levert made his first NBA start against former Michigan teammate Robinson and theIndiana Pacers.[149] On April 6 against theOrlando Magic, LeVert posted his first 20-point performance.[150] Despite missing a large portion of the season, LeVert almost made theNBA All-Rookie team, finishing 12 in the voting for the 10-man team.[151]
WhenJeremy Lin was sidelined for the2017–18 NBA season after the first game, it opened up playing time. AfterAllen Crabbe started game 2, LeVert entered the starting lineup for game 3 on October 22 against theAtlanta Hawks,[152] posting 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.[153] Coming off the bench on November 6 against thePhoenix Suns, he posted a 5-steal performance, while locking downDevin Booker so well that he frustrated Booker into fouling out.[154][155] With injuries to point guards Jeremy Lin andD'Angelo Russell, coachKenny Atkinson was impressed with LeVert rising to the challenge of learning a new position,[156] earning the back-up point guard role toSpencer Dinwiddie.[157] On December 7 (the first anniversary of his NBA debut), he had career highs in points (21) and assists (10) against reigningNBA MVPRussell Westbrook to lead the Nets to a 100–95 win over theOklahoma City Thunder inMexico City.[158][159] Although his performance was highlighted by his first NBA double-double on offense, he was also praised for his 2-steal/2-block/5-rebound effort on defense against Westbrook.[160] On December 27 against theNew Orleans Pelicans, LeVert set another career high with 22 points.[161] Two days later, he recorded 12 points and a career-high 11 assists in a 111–87 win over theMiami Heat.[162] Then, LeVert had a few minor injuries (groin and knee) in January and February, that caused him to miss a total of 10 games over 3 separate stretches.[163][164][165] On March 4, 2018, he had a 27-point effort in a 123–120 loss to theLos Angeles Clippers.[166] Levert posted a career-high[167][168] 12 rebounds along with 19 points on March 31, against theMiami Heat.[169]
In the Nets' season opener on October 17, 2018, LeVert equaled a career high with 27 points in a 103–100 loss to theDetroit Pistons.[170] Two days later, he set a new career high with 28 points in a 107–105 win over theNew York Knicks. The 28 points included the winning basket over former Michigan teammateTim Hardaway Jr. with 1 second left.[171] He posted a new career high with 29 points on November 2 against theHouston Rockets.[172][173] On November 9, he scored 17 points and hit a floater in the lane with 0.3 seconds left to lift the Nets to a 112–110 win over theDenver Nuggets.[174] On November 12, LeVert suffered a severe right leg injury, later confirmed as asubtalardislocation,[175] late in the first half of the Nets' 120–113 loss to theTimberwolves in Minnesota.[176] As the Nets' leading scorer, LeVert entered the game averaging a team-high 19 points per game.[176] At the time of the injury, LeVert was the only player up to that point in the NBA season with more than one game-winning basket in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime.[175] LeVert returned to action on February 8, 2019, after missing 42 games. He finished with 11 points in 15 minutes off the bench in a 125–106 loss to theChicago Bulls.[177] In game one of the Nets' first-round playoff series against thePhiladelphia 76ers, LeVert scored 23 points in a 111–102 win.[178]
On August 26, 2019, LeVert signed a three-year contract extension with the Nets.[179][180] On January 4, 2020, Levert returned from a thumb injury that had sidelined him since November 10 with 13 points against theToronto Raptors.[181][182] On February 3, Levert tied his career high with 29 points against thePhoenix Suns in his first start since his injury.[183] When Levert set a new career high of 37 points on February 8 in a loss against the Raptors, it marked the first time that he had posted three consecutive 20-point games in his career. On the night he made his first 6 three-point shots, but missed his seventh attempt to win the game in the final seconds.[184] On March 3, LeVert erupted for a career-high 51 points (his first 50-point game), including 37 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to lead the Nets to a 129–120 comeback win over theBoston Celtics.[185][186] Two games later with Nets legendJulius Erving attending his first Brooklyn Nets game on March 6, LeVert posted his first triple-double (27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists) in a 139–120 win over theSan Antonio Spurs.[187]
On January 16, 2021, LeVert was traded to theIndiana Pacers in a multi-player, four-team trade with theCleveland Cavaliers andHouston Rockets that sentJames Harden to Brooklyn andVictor Oladipo to Houston.[189][190] LeVert was sidelined indefinitely after an MRI revealed a small mass on his left kidney. He said that the trade possibly saved his life as he was feeling 100% healthy. On January 25, 2021, LeVert underwent successful surgery to remove the mass, which was confirmed as beingrenal cell carcinoma.[191] He was expected to have a full recovery and no further treatment was said to be needed.[192] On March 13, LeVert returned to the court and made his debut for the Pacers, recording 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists in Indiana's 122–111 win over thePhoenix Suns.[193][194]
On February 6, 2022, LeVert was traded, along with a 2022 second-round pick (Luke Travers), to his hometown team theCleveland Cavaliers in exchange forRicky Rubio, a 2023 first-round pick (Ben Sheppard), a 2022 second-round pick (Andrew Nembhard), and a 2027 second-round pick.[195] On February 9, LeVert made his Cavaliers debut, putting up 11 points off the bench in a 105–92 win over theSan Antonio Spurs.[196] On October 28, 2022, he scored a season-high 41 points during a 132–123 overtime win against the Boston Celtics. During this game,Donovan Mitchell also totaled 41 points, and the duo became the first pairing on the Cavaliers to each score 40+ in a game sinceLeBron James and Kyrie Irving did so in Game 5 of the2016 NBA Finals.[197]
LeVert is the son of Kim and Darryl Wayne LeVert and has a brother, Darryl Marcus, who is his junior by 11 months.[2][207] His mother is aColumbus City Schools first grade teacher. His father, who was a graphic designer, died on April 4, 2010, at the age of 46. His brother, Darryl Marcus, played basketball forConnors State College.[2][207] LeVert comes from a musical family as he is the third cousin ofEddie LeVert, the lead vocalist of theO'Jays.[208] Eddie's sons include singersGerald LeVert ofLSG andLeVert (along withSean LeVert). Caris was named after his grandfather, who was president of theJohnstown, Ohio school board.[209]
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