Ball Durham
Fansided

Duke Basketball: Vernon Carey Jr. grants Duke coaches an in-home visit

By Matt Giles

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: The Duke Blue Devils band plays during the game against the Iona Gaels in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: The Duke Blue Devils band plays during the game against the Iona Gaels in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Not only will the Duke basketball program host Vernon Carey Jr. for a visit on Oct. 19, but the five-star big man has now invited the coaching staff to visit his home on Sept. 10.

Duke basketball target Vernon Carey Jr. already looks like a guy who could more than hold his own in the NBA. Before the 6-foot-10, 275-pound center arrives in the league, though, he will choose a college to attend for one season.

And that school could be the one in Durham, N.C.

Carey Jr., listed by the composite ranking at 247Sports as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2019 class, has already announced that he will visit Duke during its Countdown to Craziness on Oct. 19.

More from Ball Durham

On Wednesday evening, though, the 17-year-old southpaw extended an invitation for Mike Krzyzewski and his staff to visit his home in Southwest Ranches, Fla., on Sept. 10.

Although the Blue Devils are also in the hunt for big man Isaiah Stewart, ranked No. 5 in the composite ranking, Carey Jr. said that it’s not out of the question that the duo will attend the same school. Apparently, the time they spent playing alongside one another for Team USA this summer left Carey Jr. pondering the possibilities of being on the same team as Stewart in college.

“We were both interchanging actually,” Carey Jr. said, according to John Watson of The Devils Den. “Sometimes he would be low and I would be high, and sometimes he’d be high and I’d be low. [Playing together] would be something I’d be willing to do if he’s willing to do it also. It’s not something we’ve talked about, but we both enjoyed playing with each other.”

If Duke does land both big men and adds a third top-five prospect, combo guard Cole Anthony, the Blue Devils could end up with a class that rivals the caliber of their current crop of freshmen.

Duke, Kentucky, Michigan St., Miami, and UNC are also still competing for the future services of Carey Jr. And according to the Crystal Ball at 247Sports, the race is tight, but the Blue Devils do hold an edge with 46 percent of the experts predicting he will eventually give a commitment to Coach K.

Carey Jr. has indicated that he will make his final decision by the end of February.

Five best shooting guards of Coach K era. dark. Next

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting updates, analysis, opinions, and projections.

Home/Duke Basketball Recruiting