Michigan’s NBA contingent has never been stronger, but one of its best was seriously injured Monday night. Caris LeVert suffered a gruesome ankle injury in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

UPDATED: LeVert received great news Tuesday.

From the New York Post:

“That was really difficult to see. Obviously, we’re close-knit, we’re a family,” an emotional Joe Harris said, pausing as he tried to compose himself, searching for words that wouldn’t come. “Just seeing that in person like that, it breaks your heart. It really does.

“We were all really torn up about it. Caris has been the heart of our team with the amount of work he’s put in. … His attitude never wavered from the moment he’s gotten in here. He’s been just as good of a person as he is as a ballplayer, an even better person, as a matter of fact. That’s why it really hurts to see that.”

LeVert tried to block a shot with 3.7 seconds in the first half, but got tangled up with the Minnesota guard. His leg appeared to snap above the ankle. He sat up with his face in his hands before going back down in pain. He was then taken off on a stretcher and transported to a Minneapolis hospital.

The Nets lost, but that was secondary after the game.

“Our only thoughts are with him. Nothing else matters. The game doesn’t matter tonight. That’s it,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Our thoughts should be with him and his recovery. And I really don’t want to talk about the game, or anything else.”

“It was really hard for all of us coming in the locker room [at halftime]. We’re not overly concerned with the outcome of the game; our thoughts are with Caris,” Harris added. “I don’t even think we talked when we came in at halftime. There was nothing to be said. You could just feel the emotions of everybody. Guys were crying.”

And praying.

“It’s just tough, man. So I’m at a loss for words. Of course it’s going to have an emotional impact, as you saw in the game,” DeMarre Carroll said. “It sucked a little bit of air out of us in the second half. We didn’t play the same way we played in the first half.

“It was just devastating. Took the air out of the whole locker room. Came in here and everybody was quiet. … Hat goes off to Kenny. He came in and we said a prayer for Caris and did it the right way. Like he said, Caris is what we’re thinking about right now. Basketball is second, and I’m a true believer in that.”

LeVert is averaging 18.4 points per game this year to go with 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He’s shooting 47.3 percent from the field in his third season, a breakthrough year for him. He’s had two game-winners this year, one against Hardaway Jr. and one against former MSU standout Gary Harris:

LeVert put up 29 points in a 119-111 loss to Houston Nov. 2 and 26 in a 104-82 win at Phoenix Nov. 6, two of his better games of the season. He had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in 17 minutes Monday before going down with his injury.

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