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Caris LeVert is on his third team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in his seventh NBA season. The 20th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft earned the nickname Baby Durant during his time at the University of Michigan, according to ESPN's Zach Lowe.
Lowe shared the story in 2018, stating:
"LeVert visited Michigan for an informal workout. Coaches and players had low expectations. He wowed the team immediately, staffers recall, and Michigan coach John Beilein offered a scholarship. The team viewed him as a deep bench player and discussed redshirting him [as] he was behind five future NBA draft picks. But LeVert was so good in practice, coaches quickly slotted him into the rotation."
Lowe continued:
"He was the team's best one-on-one player, staffers recalled, regularly working [Tim] Hardaway, Nik Stauskas, Trey Burke, and other future pros with a herky-jerky style that flummoxed them. Teammates and coaches nicknamed him Baby Durant."
Caris LeVert earned the seventh-most playing time on the Michigan Wolverines in his freshman year. As a sophomore, he became a starter and played the second-most minutes on the roster. LeVert spent four seasons in college before being drafted by the Brooklyn Nets.
While he hasn't reached the level of success that Kevin Durant has in the NBA, LeVert has carved out a role as a valuable role player.
Watch highlights from Caris LeVert's career-high 51 point game below:
How has Caris LeVert fared in the first half of the 2022-2023 NBA season?
Caris LeVert has struggled through the first half of the 2022-2023 NBA season. The Cleveland Cavaliers wing has averaged 12.1 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 3.7 assists per game, 0.8 steals per game, and 0.1 blocks per game. LeVert is shooting just 39.4% from the field. However, he is shooting 34.0% from three-point range and 75.6% from the free-throw line.
LeVert has struggled to find consistency as his role has decreased. He is averaging his fewest field goal attempts per game since his second year in the league.
LeVert is in the final season of a three-year, $52.5 million contract extension that he signed in 2019 as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. He is set to make $18.8 million this season. With LeVert set to enter unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career this summer, he will need to turn his performance around if he hopes to cash in.
Watch highlights from Caris LeVert's season-high 41 point game below:
Guess the Lakers players!
