Clearing the air on Caris LeVert: an appreciation thread

Submitted by taistreetsmyhero on

I'm not sure that I've ever followed a team with such a roller-coaster player. As a fan, when you're experiencing the Caris LeVert ride, it can be very emotionally draining. I, for one, have been guilty several times this year of complaining about the downs without properly acknowledging the ups--and there have been many ups, and they have been very huge, and today they were extremely clutch.

17 points (3-5 from 3; 1-5 from 2; 6-7 FT), 8 boards!!! (leading rebounder), 3 assists, only 1 foul, and 3 turnovers.

So here's to you, Caris LeVert!

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ilah17

January 25th, 2014 at 11:01 PM ^

Wow, I wouldn't have guessed his numbers were that good. I guess I focused on the turnovers, and it felt like more than 3. Thanks for the post, and well done Caris!

Joined: 12/15/2011

MGoPoints: 4185

Wiseguy

January 25th, 2014 at 11:05 PM ^

Sometimes I am way too critical of these guys. I've been hard on Caris the last couple weeks but 17 and 8 at the Brez is clutch.

Joined: 01/18/2014

MGoPoints: -92

Rodriguesqe

January 25th, 2014 at 11:06 PM ^

when he's on we can beat anyone. he reminds me of even smostryzyzc (not going to bother looking up spelling). talented, inconsistent, and overly criticized.

GRIII is a big boy and can take a little bashing. alot of what is said about caris should be said about GRIII. he should be competing with stauskus for alpha dog.

theres something to be said of playing within yourself, but a blue chip recruit with imminent nba plans cant be so selective so often.

sorry for being drab on this awesome night.  

Joined: 12/29/2013

MGoPoints: 4222

denardogasm

January 25th, 2014 at 11:13 PM ^

Interesting that you brought up Smotrycz, because I was just thinking about him yesterday for the first time since he transferred.  It must really suck to leave the team that does what this team has done this year and last year... Ouch.  Hard for me to see the comparison though because Levert is a much better defender and athlete.

Joined: 09/11/2011

MGoPoints: 10688

leftwing19

January 26th, 2014 at 11:01 AM ^

Funny you brought that up - I was thinking the exact same thing. I listed to a few Maryland games in non-conference and all they did was talking about how he transferred from Michigan. He Is a starter and averaging 10 or so a game but as a team they are 1and 4 out of the last 5. The net impact of the transfer just keeps sucking for him. This would have been his senior year, right?

Joined: 06/23/2011

MGoPoints: 286

acnumber1

January 25th, 2014 at 11:08 PM ^

Caris The Vert is my WTF yes/no/yes/no/YES player of the year.

I complain about much he does but he does more than that.  

Tate-esque with a better final result.

Love me some Levert at the end of the day.

Sean Higgins is a good comparison.

Joined: 10/19/2009

MGoPoints: 18807

taistreetsmyhero

January 25th, 2014 at 11:15 PM ^

you can knock him for dribbling too much and being weak with the dribble, knock him for taking questionable shots, knock him for always seeming to get splashed even when he's playing good D (ie that last gary harris three-pointer), but you can't knock him for never being scared to create, for being able to get hot even when he's been playing poorly, for making clutch shots, and for being a big reason why we're on a 9 game winning-streak.

Joined: 08/08/2012

MGoPoints: 39396

Swayze Howell Sheen

January 26th, 2014 at 10:47 AM ^

as a person who watched Higgins play quite a bit, this is a terrible comparison (no offense).

Higgs was one of the most gifted and smooth players I've ever seen play -- he just didn't try very hard. When he did, the results were amazing (witness the '89 tourney run). When he didn't, he looked like he didn't care.

Caris is full of effort, and is not at all smooth. He tries hard all of the time. Once in a while he does some silly stuff on offense, but not for lack of trying. I love the kid.

 

Joined: 10/05/2008

MGoPoints: 47006

93Grad

January 25th, 2014 at 11:16 PM ^

but you have to love that he is fearless and he has improved a ton.  Sure, he still dribbles too much and makes bad turnovers, but he produces.  When GRIII and others were turtling, Caris had the stones to get it done.  Congrats to him

Joined: 07/26/2011

MGoPoints: 13566

TheNema

January 25th, 2014 at 11:33 PM ^

I think it would be tough for Caris to shoot too much this year. Last year he seemed irrationally confident on offense, and often still does. But his upside is so great as is his trajectory that he will only become a better finisher. 

There are very few 6'7" players in college basketball that can out-quick point guards on a regular basis.

Joined: 12/18/2013

MGoPoints: 2402

Soulfire21

January 25th, 2014 at 11:34 PM ^

It really is a rollercoaster with him, but I think the highs are becoming more frequent than the lows.  He still is good for a few horrendous plays a game, but I think his progression is overall very good.  He had, overall, a good game tonight.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

SF Wolverine

January 25th, 2014 at 11:34 PM ^

sophomore.  Moving toward consistency.  Getting to the point where he makes teams pick their poison between him and Stauskas.  This guy is going to help us go deep in March.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 24875

MaximusBlue

January 25th, 2014 at 11:41 PM ^

He just needs to keep refining it while also getting stronger. I thought that play in the Iowa game where he got the steal and went down and slammed it with the left hand. I wish GR3 could get to the rack half of the times Levert gets there.

Joined: 07/31/2012

MGoPoints: 9765

BlackOps2ForLife

January 25th, 2014 at 11:44 PM ^

I think Caris is the most improved player from last season to this one, but still think he dribbles too much. I feel that he tries to make one or seven too many moves and sometimes the ball gets swiped. Other than that, I love that kid. Solid player for sure.

Joined: 01/06/2014

MGoPoints: 845

WMUgoblue

January 25th, 2014 at 11:45 PM ^

Somebody in the gamethread made a claim that Zak Irvin doesn't have any game, it's getting to a point where the fanbase grossly overreacts everytime these young kids make a mistake. 

 

Joined: 12/06/2009

MGoPoints: 12422

Nitro

January 25th, 2014 at 11:57 PM ^

Said this earlier this week but worth repeating - Caris Levert is like a box of chocolates. He's the X-factor prototype. But when we play a team with a good enough D to stop our half court sets, his ability to break down the D and create is exactly what we need to solve that dilemma. Without his and Walton's quickness, we don't win tonight's game.

Joined: 04/27/2013

MGoPoints: 17041

umchicago

January 26th, 2014 at 12:02 AM ^

played on solid game on offense but keep in mind he was the primary defender on harris.  i posted in the game thread that we needed caris to stay within 10 pts of harris to win.  it was exactly 10.  i love that young guys like he and walton play aggressively.  they make a few mistakes but those will lessen as time goes on.  if only GR3 would be more assertive.

Joined: 02/05/2009

MGoPoints: 33629

taistreetsmyhero

January 26th, 2014 at 12:06 AM ^

played bad defense on harris. just like i wouldn't say that harris played bad defense on stauskas. both players (stauskas and harris) were simply on a different level tonight, and there was not a thing you could do defensively.

Joined: 08/08/2012

MGoPoints: 39396

Nitro

January 26th, 2014 at 12:09 AM ^

I didn't see Harris score any points that didn't either come in transition or come off a bail out foul or an uncalled off arm push off, so I think his defense was fine.

Joined: 04/27/2013

MGoPoints: 17041

TheBlueAbides

January 26th, 2014 at 12:12 AM ^

Caria has proven to be a guy who can help us get Ws and also at times a liability. That being said I love where he has come from and what he has proven to be in a year and a half in A2, and I for one think this thread is more than deserved.

Joined: 01/20/2011

MGoPoints: 5733

Avant's Hands

January 26th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^

I've been making this point to some friends lately as well. I think Gardner's highs are higher than LeVert's right now, but it's a very similar feeling watching the two. As for LeVert's defense, I feel like he pissed off whatever gypsy Lewis got on the wrong side of. There are so many times he plays defense as good as you can play and the other guy just hits an impossible shot. If we have Stauskas and him again next year along with a Sophomore Walton and Irvin...that could be fun.

Joined: 10/22/2011

MGoPoints: 9271

LordGrantham

January 26th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^

Sometimes maddening, but when you ask an underclassman to be one of two major scoring threats, you're going to get some mistakes.

Joined: 01/01/2014

MGoPoints: 15404

BlueRibbon

January 26th, 2014 at 12:53 AM ^

But he's not smooth.  Even when he's on, he looks herky-jerky. From what I've seen, he's definitely getting better, but it's still hard to watch him drive the lane and not see a turnover waiting to happen.  That being said, he pulls someting out of nothing more often than not, and  I'm still fairly confident that we still haven't seen him realize his full potential.

Joined: 06/26/2012

MGoPoints: 595