UrbanUpdate

“Before games, I’ll do meditation, I’ll do visualization,” Caris LeVert tells GQ. “I’ll just take ten or fifteen minutes and find a quiet room in the arena and just chill in there, eyes closed, and mediate.” His routine has paid off: In the 2018–19 season LeVert hit his career point high, and he recently signed a multimillion-dollar, three-year contract extension. “I was always told that failure to plan is planning to fail,” says LeVert, who grew up in Ohio and played at the college level before turning pro. “There are pictures of me holding a basketball before I could even walk or talk. I feel like it's something that I've been manifesting since I was a child,” he says. “It’s a dream come true.”

The baller’s game prep starts when his alarm clock trills. (“The first thing I do is snooze my alarm clock, maybe two or three times,” he admits.) Once he’s ready to face the day, he’ll hit his list. “I brush my teeth, hop in the shower, figure out what I'm wearing, and make myself breakfast and a little smoothie,” says the 6’6” guard. As a pro athlete, he’s come a long way from the burgers and burritos of his college days—eggs, oatmeal, and veggies are often on the menu, as well as his go-to strawberry, banana, almond milk, and honey smoothie. “Maybe I’ll throw a little protein powder in there, too, maybe some blueberries, keep it simple like that,” says LeVert. “It’s great for starting the day with good energy.”

Before leaving his modern Brooklyn apartment, LeVert, who always likes to look polished, makes sure to get in a clean shave. “The Art of Shaving helps me elevate my game,” he says. “I'm kind of a clean-cut guy—I’ve got a little bit of a baby face. I’m growing a little bit of a goatee right now, but I like to keep it clean on my cheeks.” High-quality products, made with the finest essential oils, make grooming a cinch—no razor burn, no nicks. LeVert relies on his Art of Shaving razor and brush, lathers on the brand’s Sandalwood Shaving Cream, and gets down to business. “When I’m shaving, I’m thinking about what I need to accomplish that day,” says the pro, who finalizes his regime with After-Shave Balm. “If it's game day, I'm thinking about schemes, thinking about my matchup for that game. If it's practice, I'm thinking about what film we're going to watch. Or if it's a recovery day, I'm thinking of what body parts are aching and what I want to work on,” he says. “I'm probably thinking two or three steps ahead.”

LeVert’s style is equally well-considered—he’s always had an eye for fashion and admits to stepping it up after moving to New York. “Fashion has been thrown onto the mainstream; it's a way for me to show my personality, and I think it’s been good for the game,” says the star. While plenty of ballers are known for their stylish swagger, he embraces more of a low-key look. “I dress how I feel that day. If I'm feeling tired, you might see me in a hoodie. If I'm feeling like I want to dress up, you might see me in a button-down. I try to mix it up with my shoes, but I don't really look at it as competitive, like, ‘I want to dress better than this guy.’ I'm just myself. You know what I mean?” That same ego-free philosophy extends to the court—he’s all about being a team player. “I grew up in a family where I had a little brother, so it was instilled in me to always share with him, always keep him involved,” he recalls. “As teammate, you can't be selfish; every team that I've been a part of has been like a brotherhood.”

As a pro player, LeVert knows he has an important audience. “There are a lot of kids watching,” he says. “And I know my mom is watching every single game. I want to stay clean.” And with that, the freshly shaven star picks up his gym bag and heads out to his next game, fully prepped—mentally and physically—and ready to play.

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