LeVert's skillset comparison

Submitted by Michigania on

As we've been watching these players all morph into high level players,  I was hoping this offseason, a jump by GR3, both in weight and skill, into a closer version of his Big Dog dad....

Instead, the true leap in growth occured in Stauskas, who is now approaching legitimacy in being an All-American, a poor man's Larry Bird at this trajectory, and this growth has been quite remarkable....

The leap, however, that I was NOT expecting over the offseason, that is as impressive as Stauskas' leap,  is Caris LeVert's game....  watching him last night I marveled at his elite body control and ball handling skills, especially the speed of it, and he appears simply to be the best athlete by far, on the court.. and this isn't knocking GR3.

Which brings me to the point of this post....  when LeVert arrived recently, several were trying to make comparisons to his game with former players, and a few mentioned that the closest thing was former Michigan great Sean Higgins.....   well, I was a freshman at Michigan in 1988, and that comparison was intriguing....but after watching the game last night, I thought that LeVert's skill set seemed alot closer to Gary Grant, and Higgins' game was actually closer to Stauska's....  Higgins was a sublime shooter...he could shoot out the lights like Stauskas can, but did not have the elite body control and movement that LeVert has.

I'm not one to know much about basketball like some here, and I risk the talking out of my arse..... but that initial LeVert comparison had me thinking, enough to post this, to ask the experts here to discuss who LeVert truly reminds you of, and it doesn't have to be within the program, because it sure doesn't feel like Higgins to me.

 

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Perkis-Size Me

January 31st, 2014 at 9:27 AM ^

If Kevin Durant and Lebron had a baby, meanwhile MJ and Kobe had a baby, and by some miracle those babies eventually met and conceived a child....boom.

I give you Caris LeVert.

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 105865

mGrowOld

January 31st, 2014 at 9:31 AM ^

He kinda reminds me of THJjr.  Can do a little of everything, about the same size, and can score.  Timmy was a more explosive finisher and Caris has a better handle and seems more willing to take it the hole but both their games are fairly similiar to me.

 

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 213295

CJsWolverines

January 31st, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^

I totally agree that I thought we would see GR3 play more consistent. It took Tim Hardaway Jr. three years to find his game. Maybe GR3 should stay at Michigan another year? I honestly hope Stauskis, and GR3 stay another year.

Joined: 01/30/2014

MGoPoints: 238

74polSKA

January 31st, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^

I don't know exactly who LeVert reminds me of skill wise, but he's quickly becoming my favorite player. Especially since he went to HS in Matta's backyard and didn't get a sniff from Ohio State that I know of. They would LOVE to have someone with his offensive skills right now. I hope he goes off in Cbus on the 11th.

Joined: 05/25/2011

MGoPoints: 8261

trueblueintexas

January 31st, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^

I'm going to go back to that '89 Illinois team and say LeVery reminds me a little of Kendall Gill. Although Gill was a little thicker in the body. Gill could hit jumpers, always get into the lane, and rebounded well for a wing player. The main difference is that Gill was a three and LeVert is more of a two.  From a body type the closest I can think of is Stacey Augman from the great UNLV teams. Plays defense a little like him also with a more developed offensive game. 

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 36756

trueblueintexas

January 31st, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^

The better J is the main reason why I said LeVert was like Augman with a more developed offensive game.

I still see inconsistency with LeVert's shooting motion (granted he's only a sophomore). I see smooth shots and I see herky jerky shots (sometimes he rushes himself when it is not neccessary). If he can continue to become more consistent with the smooth, I think LeVert could move from good to great next year. 

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 36756

Evil Empire

January 31st, 2014 at 10:31 AM ^

That's the high side of Levert's game...same body style with great speed and slashing ability, outside shooting that comes in waves, and reliable FT shooting.

 

Consider for a moment how valuable our last-minute pickups of Levert and Albrecht have been. 

Joined: 07/29/2008

MGoPoints: 9077

Victor Valiant

January 31st, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^

Very similar body types and level of athletecism. Kittles was probably a slightly better shooter. Both use their length as a guard to disrupt defensively and both have that sneaky athletecism that allows them to slash to the basket.

Joined: 11/23/2013

MGoPoints: 4491

93Grad

January 31st, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^

I was thinking of that comparison for awhile and then Coach Belein said the same after the game last night and so that sealed it for me.  He obviously does not need to try and carry the team like Manny did but they are similar players who can do a lot on the floor and sometimes will try to do too much. 

Thankfully, Caris is surrounded by better players than Manny was so it probably cuts down on some of the bad looks and TO's that Manny struggled with.

Joined: 07/26/2011

MGoPoints: 13721

Roy G. Biv

January 31st, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^

Steve Smith. Yeah, he's a Sparty but the guard skill package in an athletic big body is similar. Or maybe Jim Jackson. The one thing I think Levert lacks is vision in his passing game. Seems like he misses a lot of available passes, especially in the half-court. Continued refinement in Levert's game will make him a beast.

Joined: 09/03/2010

MGoPoints: 6963

CLord

January 31st, 2014 at 12:16 PM ^

Lavert's my fave and he's a BEAST and insanely fast.  However I wouldn't say anyone on the teams plays like the SHIGGS back in the late 80's/90s.  Higgins was nowhere near as fast as Lavert or Stauskas at dribble penetration.  He was a slasher with a soft J, and if anything he reminds me more of GR3 only a better shooter and worse dunker.

Joined: 09/11/2011

MGoPoints: -6341

bluestan

January 31st, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^

His ability to create, play within an offense, and get into the lane remind me of Manu Ginobili. His handles, frame, and athleticism remind me of Jamal Crawford.

Joined: 09/17/2011

MGoPoints: 650

SysMark

January 31st, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^

Hadn't thought of who he reminds me of but one thing became crystal clear last night if it wasn't before.  Stauskas and Levert are the best all-around players on this team right now, and I'm not sure who's first or second.  Those two are carrying all the intensity.

 

Joined: 11/15/2008

MGoPoints: 21739

AlwaysBlue

January 31st, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^

Caris has only scratched the surface in terms of what we see. He's been getting rave practice reviews since they burned his redshirt. Beyond being a young freshman he also was an afterthought behind the talent recruited his freshman year. As he continues to gain confidence and mastery of the Beilein system he will play with more athletic abandon. Then I say watch out because he has shown he can score in multiple ways and has the most defensive difference making skills. For now it would be good for people to see how valuable he is to Stauskas' game and the team in general. Izzo said they tried to cheat a little on Nik and Caris made them pay. He seems like a great kid too.

Joined: 11/23/2008

MGoPoints: 7854

Michigan4Life

January 31st, 2014 at 1:20 PM ^

to Manny Harris. Both are long, skinny and athletic player who can drive to the basket with ease and can make threes.  Caris is skinnier than Manny and Manny is stronger at contested shot.  Manny has quick hands and feet that allow him to get steals and rebounds.

Some labeled Manny Harris a ball hog, but it's farther from the truth.  Look at Manny Harris assist rate. It's excellent despite that the surrounding cast is far worse than Caris.  He is being asked to carry the scoring load along with Peedi.  Caris has the luxury of having pretty much everybody to carry the load when he has an off night.

Joined: 07/29/2010

MGoPoints: 25455

robpollard

January 31st, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^

Walt "The Wizard" Williams from Maryland in the early 90s (then played in the NBA for a decade).

I'm assuming Caris is going to continue to grow (he's already 6' 6", and looks to have gained some weight), so assuming he tops out at 6' 7" and about 200 lbs, he'll play 2 or 3 in the NBA, with his big wingspan (Wiliams also had a big wingspan).

Short video of Walt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRbrewlFx3E

Joined: 06/03/2009

MGoPoints: 14005