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 the
depth chart for the
shooting 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, and
Spike Albrecht.[15] Eventually, Michigan
head coachJohn Beilein decided that LeVert had value as a perimeter defender and decided to play him rather than redshirt him.[14] On December 1 against
Bradley 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 against
Central Michigan, when
Tim 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 2.3
points 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 in
conference wins over
Illinois and
Michigan State as well as the
2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament final four victory over
Syracuse in 21 minutes of play.[8][14]
On May 12, LeVert underwent surgery to repair a
stress 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 with
Spike Albrecht.[63][64] He opened the season with 9 assists against
Hillsdale College on November 15, surpassing his previous career-high of five.[65][66] On November 24, against
Oregon, LeVert established a career high by making 11
free throws helping the team to a 70–63 victory in the
Legends 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 to
NJIT.[69][70][71] He posted 4 steals again against
Minnesota on January 10.[72][73] On January 17 against
Northwestern, 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 a
2015 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 to
CBSSports.com's Sam Vecenie, this would give LeVert a chance to improve his
pick and roll decision making, his midrange offensive game and his defense, especially against
screens.[83]
After being sidelined for the final 14 games of the prior season for the
2014–15 Wolverines, LeVert began the season with a game-high 18 points and 5 assists as a starter against
Northern Michigan.[96][97][98] On November 16, against
Elon, LeVert tied his career high with four steals.[99][100] On December 5 against
Houston Baptist, LeVert made his first start at
point guard while
Derrick 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 1–13
field goal shooting and 3–6 free throw shooting.[104][105] On December 15 against
Northern Kentucky, LeVert posted 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the fourth player in Michigan program history to record a
triple-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 against
Youngstown State, LeVert earned Co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors (along with
Malcolm Hill) on December 21.[108][109] On December 30, Michigan defeated
Illinois 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 against
Penn 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 with
Melo Trimble,
Jarrod Uthoff and
Denzel 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 with
Malcolm 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 of
MLive.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 Basketball
Twitter feed, he attended graduation in crutches at the end of April.[128][129] He was invited to the May 11–15
NBA Draft Combine.[130][131] While still on crutches at the combine, LeVert clarified that his injury was a
Jones fracture of the fifth
metatarsal and that
Kevin Durant who has the same agency and used the same doctor had called to offer him encouragement.[132]
Professional career
Brooklyn Nets (2016–2021)
2016–17 season
The day before the
2016 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 the
Indiana 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 the
Brooklyn Nets on July 7, in exchange for
Thaddeus 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 the
2016 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 the
Denver 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 since
Chris 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 the
San Antonio Spurs on a back door reverse layup assisted by
Brook Lopez.[147] LeVert posted double digit scoring for the first time with 12 points on December 30 against the
Washington 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 the
Indiana Pacers.[149] On April 6 against the
Orlando Magic, LeVert posted his first 20-point performance.[150] Despite missing a large portion of the season, LeVert almost made the
NBA All-Rookie team, finishing 12 in the voting for the 10-man team.[151]
2017–18 season
When
Jeremy Lin was sidelined for the
2017–18 NBA season after the first game, it opened up playing time. After
Allen Crabbe started game 2, LeVert entered the starting lineup for game 3 on October 22 against the
Atlanta Hawks,[152] posting 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.[153] Coming off the bench on November 6 against the
Phoenix Suns, he posted a 5-steal performance, while locking down
Devin Booker so well that he frustrated Booker into fouling out.[154][155] With injuries to point guards Jeremy Lin and
D'Angelo Russell, coach
Kenny Atkinson was impressed with LeVert rising to the challenge of learning a new position,[156] earning the back-up point guard role to
Spencer Dinwiddie.[157] On December 7 (the first anniversary of his NBA debut), he had career highs in points (21) and assists (10) against reigning
NBA MVPRussell Westbrook to lead the Nets to a 100–95 win over the
Oklahoma City Thunder in
Mexico 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 the
New 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 the
Miami 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 the
Los Angeles Clippers.[166] Levert posted a career-high[167][168] 12 rebounds along with 19 points on March 31, against the
Miami Heat.[169]
2018–19 season
In the Nets' season opener on October 17, 2018, LeVert equaled a career high with 27 points in a 103–100 loss to the
Detroit Pistons.[170] Two days later, he set a new career high with 28 points in a 107–105 win over the
New York Knicks. The 28 points included the winning basket over former Michigan teammate
Tim Hardaway Jr. with 1 second left.[171] He posted a new career high with 29 points on November 2 against the
Houston 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 the
Denver Nuggets.[174] On November 12, LeVert suffered a severe right leg injury, later confirmed as a
subtalardislocation,[175] late in the first half of the Nets' 120–113 loss to the
Timberwolves 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 the
Chicago Bulls.[177] In game one of the Nets' first-round playoff series against the
Philadelphia 76ers, LeVert scored 23 points in a 111–102 win.[178]
2019–20 season
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 the
Toronto Raptors.[181][182] On February 3, Levert tied his career high with 29 points against the
Phoenix 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 the
Boston Celtics.[185][186] Two games later with Nets legend
Julius 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 the
San Antonio Spurs.[187]
On January 16, 2021, LeVert was traded to the
Indiana Pacers in a multi-player, four-team trade with the
Cleveland Cavaliers and
Houston Rockets that sent
James Harden to Brooklyn and
Victor 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 being
renal 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 the
Phoenix Suns.[193][194]
Cleveland Cavaliers (2022–present)
On February 6, 2022, LeVert was traded, along with a 2022 second-round pick, to his hometown team the
Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for
Ricky Rubio, a 2023 first-round pick which later became
Ben Sheppard, a 2022 second-round pick 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 the
San 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 since
LeBron James and Kyrie Irving did so in Game 5 of the
2016 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][201] His mother is a
Columbus 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 for
Connors State College.[2][201] LeVert comes from a musical family as he is the third cousin of
Eddie LeVert, the lead vocalist of the
O'Jays.[202] Eddie's sons include singers
Gerald LeVert of
LSG and
LeVert (along with
Sean LeVert).