Duke Basketball: Vernon Carey emerges as go-to star player for Blue Devils
By Cody Larson
Vernon Carey has been the safe haven for a roughneck Duke Basketball squad that has big aspirations. If the evident growth in his game continues, the sky is the limit for both himself and the Blue Devils in 2019-20.
"“He’s in the game so much and I don’t think people give him credit … his basketball IQ is through the roof. He is so skilled and intelligent on the court, and it’s coming out right now.”"
That was brewing Duke Basketball freshman Cassius Stanley when asked about fellow freshman partner, Vernon Carey after the big man went for 31 points and 12 rebounds in only 22 minutes vs. California on Thursday.
One day later (last night) Carey went on to boulder the Blue Devils in a tough 81-73 win against Georgetown to win the 2K Empire Classic. In a game where Patrick Ewing was coaching in the other corner, Carey did his best impression of dominant big men from Ewing’s earlier era (having 20 points and 10 boards in a slimmer 28 minutes).
After a relatively slow start to the year (he averaged 13 points 6.33 rebounds in his first three contests), both Carey and Duke are finding steady footing with what the young center’s role will be for the program; that role being the focal point.
The hype microscope that comes with being a star in Durham is officially locked on the 6-foot-10, 270 pound big man. Whether or not he succeeds under such scope could dictate the future for both Duke and himself beyond the college level.
The following piece will look at Carey through that mentioned microscope and will do so from two points of view: 1.) his status for Duke Basketball, and 2.) his status in the 2020 NBA Draft.