Michigan Basketball: Caris LeVert produces Jason-Kidd like effort for Nets

Former Michigan basketball player Caris LeVert is often overlooked when it comes to the Brooklyn Nets but maybe not after what he did Monday night.

When it comes to the Brooklyn Nets, the focus is often on Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant — the talk doesn’t usually focus on former Michigan basketball player Caris LeVert.

But for the past few years, LeVert has been getting better and better for the Nets and the former first-round pick out of Michigan now seems ready to take part in the Nets revolution.

He’s been talked about as being part of the Nets’ big three and after performances like the one he had Monday night against Memphis, that kind of chatter will only continue.

With both Irving and Durant out against Memphis, the Nets turned to LeVert who didn’t disappoint as the go-to guy.  He scored 28 points on 12-of-29 shooting but it was the way he impacted the game in other ways that was impressive.

LeVert also finished with 11 assists, five steals and four rebounds and in the process, he became the first Nets player since Jason Kidd in 2003 to get 20, five and five in three categories.

Those numbers may surprise some people. but it’s not a big shock when you look at the kind of player he’s become in the NBA over the past 3-4 years.

LeVert struggled with injuries during the last year of his Michigan basketball career but the Nets were still smart enough to use a first-round pick on him and now in his fifth season, LeVert has career averages of 12.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He’s also a career 33-percent 3-point shooter and a solid all-around defender.

Last season, LeVert averaged 18.7 points a game for the Nets and so far this season, he’s continued with those numbers and is averaging 5.8 assists. Tuesday’s game was also the first without Irving or Durant, so Caris has stayed productive even with superstars alongside him.

Last year, Duncan Robinson emerged for the Miami Heat and helped get them to the NBA Finals and soon enough, casual fans are going to start knowing the name of LeVert too.

There has been rampant speculation about the Nets trying to trade LeVert to get a third star, but if the former Michigan basketball player keeps performing as he has, it won’t be needed.