Soul Brother #22
By: Mars Robinson
Tags: Brooklyn, NBA, Music, Rap, Hip Hop

Soul Brother #22

Original illustration by Double Scribble

As a die hard Brooklyn Nets fan, it kills me when people say we need a third star. No one expected us to come away with Kyrie and KD during the 2019 off-season. To be honest, I didn’t either. But now that we have them, we’re suddenly title contenders. The hopes are higher than ever: next season, KD will be making his debut as a Net and Kyrie will be healthy. Hopefully, we debut some new retro jerseys that’ll pay homage to our New Jersey lineage, too.

I’ve heard plenty of people say we should trade Caris for a third playmaker to join Kyrie and KD. But, for me, Caris is our third star, and his game has always backed that up.

C.L. has earned everything given to him, dating back to his time as a Michigan Wolverine, when he sat on the bench his freshman year behind guards Nik Stauskas and Tim Hardaway Jr — future NBA first round picks. LeVert was nearly red-shirted until the head coach, John Beilein, decided he actually had value as a perimeter wing defender — something that is now a highly prized asset in the League. Caris didn’t play much that year, but starting in his sophomore season, Soul Brother #22 (actually, #23 back in college) averaged a combined 14.7 PPG on 45/47/78 shooting splits. During those years, Caris would come away with some hardware and honors, including the 2013-14 All-Big Ten second team and being named all-district during his second season. Unfortunately though, the promising Columbus, Ohio, product (which, ironically, is home to MU’s biggest rivals, the Ohio State Buckeyes) would undergo surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot before his junior season. This would also foreshadow some of his health concerns in the NBA, but we didn’t know that yet. When he was on the floor though, he could undeniably hoop.

When he returned later in his third year, he was named co-captain and went off on a hot start, setting career highs in assists, free throws made, and points in a game. It was clear that Caris was coming into his own, that the game was starting to move in slow motion for him, that he would rotate and hit shots with elite skill. With hard work, he’d grown from an overlooked guard on an overstocked team, to one of the most dominant and lethal upper classmen in the nation. Then, came another injury.

In a game against Northwestern, Caris re-injured his recently repaired foot and was out for the remainder of the season. Prior to this injury, LeVert was leading Michigan in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and minutes, earning his literal and figurative stripes in Ann Arbor.

Everyone expected Caris to enter the 2015 Draft, but after his injury, he felt as if returning for his senior tour to prove he was healthy was the smartest idea. Caris was right, as in his senior campaign, he would average new career highs in points, assists, rebounds, FG%, and 3PT%. He would then enter the 2016 NBA Draft, being selected in the first round by the Brooklyn Nets after we traded Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers for the rights to the 20th pick.

LeVert had decent years as an NBA rookie and sophomore, but it wasn’t until his third season tip off that he took off. In 2018, it seemed that this C.L. Smooth-like style would finally get introduced to the League; he ascended into a rising star and a potential All-Star alongside D’Angelo Russell. Caris, who was averaging 18.4 PPG to go along with 4.3 rebounds was starting to turn heads out in Brooklyn, and a lot of people had his name in the Most Improved Player talks. But, catastrophically, he was set back yet again with another near-career ending right leg injury that kept him out until February 2019.

With him out, his partner in crime, DLo (or, in our case, Pete Rock) would carry the Nets as he would go on to become an undisputed All-Star for the first time in his wild career. Caris would make his return to the team in February right before the All-Star break. And the Nets would eventually make the playoffs as the unexpected 8th seed.

Those games leading up to the playoffs were stiff, as Caris struggled to regain the rhythm he had grooved into before his body’s collapse. Then, in the ‘yoffs against Philly, he put on a show.

In five games (the Nets dropped the series, 4-1) Caris would lead the entire Nets roster in scoring with 21.1 PPG on 49/46/72 splits. This is beyond impressive because not only was he still recover from an injury, but he did it all while coming off the bench for the first three games, in which he averaged 20.6 PPG on 46% shooting from the field. This is insane and demonstrates his grit and star potential to me; this weren’t some regular season buckets against the Charlotte Hornets and Phoenix Suns. Nah. He was finding ways to score, while being guarded by two top defenders in Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons, under post season pressure, when the team most needed him. It was at this moment that we witnessed our team’s being birthed and as we already knew, LeVert’s potential was not only reached, but exceeded. In Games 4 and 5, Caris was finally inserted into the starting lineup along side D’Angelo Russell — who struggled in getting his shots to fall. Caris, in Game 4, posted 25, 6 & 5 on 50% shooting from the field and 37% shooting from 3-point land. In Game 5, Philly completely shut down Brooklyn’s offense, but Caris was able to put up 18, 4 & 3 on 50% shooting from the field and 33% shooting from distance. Not too shabby, albeit in a losing effort.

As a team, we completely overachieved that season. And as an indivdual, Caris had outworked himself, and others. Regardless of the outcome, we were exposed once again to the potential All Star play that this new Soul Brother had buried in his injury-plagued game.

Now, with Kyrie as his new backcourt teammate and KD rehabbing in the Nets facility, Caris will be forced to up the ante in his development, and I would be lying if I said he hasn’t impressed me, the Nets, and his new teammates so far from his performance before, and during, “the Bubble.”

Of course, this season wasn’t exactly what a lot of Nets fans expected — with KD out for the year, Kyrie being shut down, and Head Coach Kenny Atkinson being fired. A lot of folks started second guessing the Kyrie signing and wondered if Caris was enough to lead them back to the Playoffs while Irving was out and with DLo gone. But for us to still clinch a playoff spot under those circumstances is nothing short of immaculate. Everything we’ve accomplished this season is thanks to the work Caris has put into his game.

This season (before the hiatus) CL was averaging 18.1 PPG on 41/36/70 shooting splits to go along with 4 APG and 4 RPG. This includes a career high 51 point overtime comeback game against the Celtics.

KD, Kyrie, and even Jamal Crawford himself have been more than impressed with Caris’s desire to get better and play a huge part in the Nets future which will include: DEEP PLAYOFF RUNS.

You could say that the Nets have once again “overachieved” with their clinching of the 7th seed in the Bubble games. Thanks to the crazy play from Joe Harris, TLC, Soul Brother #22, and who can forget the coaching from Jacque Vaughn? The Nets were more than ready to do battle with the defending champs, Toronto Raptors, in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Brooklyn has beaten the Raptors and Lakers (before hiatus), and the Clippers and Bucks in the NBA Restart. These are the championship favorites for almost everybody. In the three games he did play (DNP against in Milwaukee) Caris averaged a combined 23 PPG on 49% shooting from the field including dropping 27 points & 13 dimes against Kawhi and the Clippers. He also set Twitter on fire after he dueled with Damian Lilliard as the Trailblazers playoff hopes would ride on their clash. Stepping into the spotlight, Caris exploded for 37 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds on 55% shooting from the field in a 133-134 loss to Rip City after Caris missed the potential game winning shot.

Though swept by the defending champs and second seed, the Toronto Raptors. The Brooklyn Nets were clearly overmatched in all four games, but fought til the very end. In four games, Caris LeVert averaged a combined 20.2 PPG, 9.5 APG, and 6 RPG on 36/29/73 shooting splits. He struggled with his shot in the first two games, but had his playmaking on display with 15 assists in game one and 11 assists in game two. Both games being double-doubles.

In Game three, Caris shot 42% from the field recording a 15 & 6 game. The Raptors defense was stifling all series long and would finish off the sweep in convincing fashion with a 150-122 game 4 thrashing. Caris came alive in game 4, dropping 35, 6 & 6 on 47% shooting. It’s obvious that we had no shot against Toronto but regardless, I am more than proud of the way Caris and the rest of our guys played.

Of course, the same question will be asked “Does Brooklyn need a third star?” and new questions as well, like “Should the Nets look into trading for a third star?” And as much I would like to say no all day to questions like that, it’s up to the front office to make that decision. LeVert has improved a lot this season and he still has the potential to be even better.

When KD and Kyrie return, Caris will rightfully become the third option, which is scary when you have three starters who have exploded for 50-plus.

We still haven’t seen enough of the Kyrie & Caris backcourt, but the potential is there for them to be one of the best in the League. And Kevin Durant. What else can I say? He’s the Slim Reaper.

This next season will be the first time these three take the court together as a healthy unit. Three producers. Three MC’s. With one goal, to win and win Biggie. With features along the way from The Fro, Joey Bucket$$, DJ ,and whoever else finds their way to Brooklyn (James Harden, anyone?), the Nets’ future is extremely bright. Don’t sleep on them, and be ready when their next hit, Caris LeVert: Soul Brother #22, drops.