Vernon Carey Jr.
Vernon Carey Jr. is an American professional basketball player, born on February 25, 2001, in Miami, Florida. He measures 2.08 meters (6 feet 10 inches) and weighs approximately 122 kg (270 lb). He primarily plays as a power forward or center. Carey Jr. attended NSU University School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for high school. He was a highly sought-after recruit, with Rivals ranking him 5th, 247Sports 6th, and ESPN 6th in the class of 2019. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils for one season (2019-2020). During his freshman year, he started 30 of 31 games and averaged an impressive 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. His 0.577 field goal percentage led the ACC, ranked 21st nationally, and was third among NCAA freshmen. His excellent performance earned him the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and National Association of Basketball Coaches National Freshman of the Year awards. Following his successful freshman season, Carey Jr. declared for the 2020 NBA Draft on April 10, 2020. In the 2020 NBA Draft, Vernon Carey Jr. was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round, as the 32nd overall pick. His NBA debut was on December 30, 2020. He played for the Charlotte Hornets from 2020 to 2022. After his stint with the Hornets, he played for the Washington Wizards (2022-2023) and the Utah Jazz (2023). Most recently, Carey Jr. played for Karşıyaka Basket in the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) during the 2023-2024 season. In October 2025, news emerged that the Houston Rockets waived Vernon Carey Jr., along with other players. He is expected to join the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for the upcoming G League season. He had signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Rockets on October 17 but was not expected to make the final roster. He was also involved in a minor car accident in October 2022, suffering a concussion that sidelined him for a preseason game. He signed a two-year non-guaranteed contract with the Utah Jazz in April (year unspecified) but did not make any appearances for the team.
