LeVert, Tate get to share big stage
Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate knew this day would come. He had never stopped dreaming, never ceased believing. Even as his career detoured to Belgium and Australia, he expected to share a court in the NBA with Caris LeVert again.
More than just play against one another, as they will for the first time in the NBA on Wednesday when the Rockets face the Pacers in Toyota Center, he thought they might just become teammates.
He was right about making it to the NBA, becoming a rookie bright spot in the Rockets’ dark season. He nearly was right about teaming with LeVert.
Neither could predict all that would happen in the months since. But back when LeVert was still putting up numbers for the Nets and rumors swirled about a James Harden trade to Brooklyn, Tate had sent LeVert a message, suggesting that they might become teammates as they were on the Pickerington Central High team that won an Ohio state championship in 2012.
“He was one of the first people who reached out to me before everything went down,” LeVert said. “He was like, ‘I’m hearing James is trying to go to
Brooklyn.’ This is months before the trade went down. I was like, ‘We’ll see, we’ll see. There are a lot of rumors. We’ll see what happens.’ ”
He never imagined all that would happen since, but rather than being disappointed that they did not become teammates, the turn of events made going against one another even more special.
Harden was traded to the Nets and LeVert was part of the deal, but instead of going to the Rockets, he was traded to the Pacers with the Rockets opting to bring Victor Oladipo, who has since been traded.
“Initially, when it happened, I was going to Houston,” LeVert said. “He texted me an eye emoji. I was asleep. I didn’t see it. By the time I woke up, I was already a Pacer. That’d be cool, but I’m happy to be here.”
Days later, he received a call telling him that there was a problem. When LeVert underwent the customary physical as part of the trade, a mass was found on his left kidney that was determined to be a renal cell carcinoma.
Because of the trade and ensuing physical, the tumor was found early, before cancer could spread. The early detection allowed LeVert to make a full recovery. Two months to the day after the four-team trade was complete, LeVert was back on the floor.
“It was pretty scary,” Tate said. “I kind of just gave my blessing and told him I was here for him and he replied back. I knew he had a lot on his plate. I just told him he was in my prayers and I continued to check in with him.
“I’m just happy they found it and he’s back playing and healthy.”
That would make it difficult to be disappointed that they will not be teammates when the Rockets play the Pacers on Wednesday. LeVert has averaged 17.7 points, five assists and 4.4 rebounds, making 43.2 percent of his shots, all nearly mirroring his final three seasons with the Nets.
Two years after LeVert was a first-round pick out of Michigan in 2016. Tate went undrafted out of Ohio State. His old friend’s success could have led Tate to believe he would make it, too. But he already believed, always planned to get on the floor together again.
“I wouldn’t say confident. It was more motivation just to see other people around you, your peers, fulfilling their goals,” Tate said. “It kind of motivates you to keep working hard to fulfil yours.”
LeVert said he was not at all surprised to see Tate’s breakthrough. Tate and Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball are on pace to be the 12th and 13th rookies in the past 20 seasons to average at least 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Among rookies, Tate is eighth in scoring (10.9,) fourth in rebounding (5.4) and fourth in steals (1.2.) He is the only Rockets player to have played in every game, playing nearly 20 more than any teammate other than Sterling Brown.
“Just his work ethic and his belief in himself I would say are the two main things that push him above a lot of people,” LeVert said. “And then, his motor on the court, how hard he plays, everybody wants to play with a guy like Jae’Sean, for sure. He’s been playing great. I saw the other day he’s like top three in the rookie of year. That’s extremely cool. It’s cool to see where he came from, undrafted. He played in Australia. Killed it over there. Now, he’s killing it here, too.
“I’ve seen his game mature over the years. He’s having a great season. I can’t wait to play against him for the first time. I’m super excited for him.”
The feeling can be mutual on Wednesday. There will be no time to get together. The Pacers are in the midst of a back-to-back. But there is an appreciation to hold a high school reunion on the court.
“It’s definitely pretty cool,” Tate said. “That was for both a dream. We definitely aspired to play in the NBA. We played together at Pickerington Central. We played against each other in college and now playing against each other in the NBA. It’s kind of cool to see the guys you grinded with when you were younger not only have success but continue to share court.
“That’s still one of my great friends, like a brother. I actually went out and saw him a few times this summer. It’s always been a dream to play in the NBA. To be here and be able to share the court with one of my teammates, it’s pretty cool.”