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Duke Basketball: One star at UNC game is key for Blue Devils’ future

By Matt Giles

Duke basketball mascot (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Duke basketball mascot (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The list of stars in attendance at the Duke basketball team’s home game against UNC on Wednesday may include a former president, but a five-star who is planning to be there is the one who matters most to the future of the program.

Duke basketball 2019 commit Vernon Carey Jr. has visited the Durham campus at least three times dating back to his sophomore year of high school. He’s felt Cameron Indoor Stadium shake; after all, he was at Countdown to Craziness in October.

But there’s no way he’s ever felt a basketball earthquake like the one that will occur on Wednesday night when No. 2 Duke (23-2; 11-1 ACC) hosts No. 8 UNC (20-5; 10-2 ACC) at 9 p.m. (on ESPN).

Actually, it’s possible nobody on the planet ever has.

Never before has the world’s greatest rivalry included a fan-hyping, rim-rocking Blue Devil like freshman Zion Williamson, who will be playing in his one-and-only Duke-UNC game in Cameron before bolting to the NBA and signing lucrative endorsement deals after this season.

Speaking of one-and-done Blue Devils, Carey Jr. is likely to also be one. The five-star center — he committed to Duke back in December and ranks No. 3 on the 247Sports Composite due to his stellar footwork in the paint and soft touch from inside and out — is projected by most to be a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. This means that, like so many of Mike Krzyzewski’s recruits in recent years, he will have to quickly learn and embrace the culture of the Duke basketball program in order for the Blue Devils to maximize their chance at success during his one season in Durham.

And there is no better way to get a jumpstart on that task than to be behind the Duke bench on Wednesday night. According to a tweet from Rivals’ Corey Evans on Tuesday, which Carey Jr. retweeted, the big man is planning to make the trip from his hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in order to attend the game.

During the game, Carey Jr. may have a chance to witness Coach K, who is 46-42 all-time against UNC, at his most intense. The 6-foot-10, 275-pounder will have a chance to see how the current Blue Devils keep their composure despite all the media attention and going-bonkers Cameron Crazies, most of whom have been camping out for more than a month just to get in. He may have a chance to see the Blue Devils bond together when the momentum isn’t going their way.

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Hopefully, he will also have a chance to share with the team firsthand the utter joy that comes from beating the Tar Heels, which would surely be to the dismay of one well-known basketball fan, former president Barack Obama, who is also expected to be there and has made his fandom for UNC clear over the years.

As a result of the experience, whether the Blue Devils win or lose, Carey Jr. should be better prepared when his turn arrives next year to face the Tar Heels.

Carey Jr. anchors a 2019 class that ranks No. 6 in the country, per 247Sports, and also includes five-star small forward Wendell Moore (ranks No. 22 on the composite) and four-star combo guard Boogie Ellis (ranks No. 34). Moore, who hails from Concord, N.C., has been in attendance for a couple of Duke home games this season, but there is no word yet that he will be there on Wednesday. Ellis, who is from San Diego, Calif., almost certainly won’t be there.

The Blue Devils are still awaiting word on a decision from the lone remaining undecided 2019 recruit who holds a Duke offer, five-star power forward Matthew Hurt.

ALSO READ: Where Blue Devils stand with 2019 PF Matthew Hurt

Next. Coach K's five sweetest comeback wins. dark

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting updates, analysis, opinions, and predictions, as well as for complete coverage before, during, and after the Blue Devils’ game against the Tar Heels.

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