Duke basketball: Projecting Vernon Carey Jr.’s NBA potential

The strengths of Duke basketball’s Vernon Carey Jr.

Touch around the basket – Vernon Carey Jr. is not the type of player to dunk on your head or play above the rim. He is definitely capable of catching lobs and throwing down the powerful slam when available. But he looks to initiate contact and then finish over or around the defender. His broad shoulders and upper-body strength allow him to create the necessary space to get his shot off. He shot nearly 58 percent during his freshman year. That included a lot of dunks, but it also included a lot of baby hooks and scoop shots around the basket. There are few guys I have seen with the combination of physicality and finesse that Carey possesses.

Rebounding – This is the area that I believe Carey can make an immediate impact on any NBA team. he is a beast on the glass. As I mentioned earlier, he was a shoo-in for a double-double. It was expected that Carey would post a double-digit rebound performance every game. At times for Duke last season, he was a one-man rebounding wrecking crew. He was disciplined in his box-outs and competed hard for every rebound.

Versatility – Carey is not the most traditional type of traditional big man. That may sound very confusing, so I will elaborate. Yes, like most traditional bigs, he does like to operate in the low post and play with his back to the basket. What makes Carey more than a traditional big, though, is his ability to score off the dribble. He’s good for more than just layups, dunks, and jump hooks. He can step out to hit from outside. He can also hit the corner jumper and floaters in the lane. Plus, he has a solid face-up game, using the jab step and spin move well. He can operate at the high and mid-post as well. I believe he could play alongside another big man at the next level.

Finishing through contact – When Carey got two feet in the paint, you could pretty much say goodnight. He must have been one of the single-season leaders in the old-fashioned 3-point play (I don’t know if there are stats for this). He was constantly getting and-ones. Being one of the ACC’s leaders in free throws attempted should prove that Carey is a supreme finisher in traffic. His big body allows him to absorb contact, and his soft touch allows him to finish. He doesn’t seem to go up with the intention of getting fouled. No, he goes up to score. He is not soft at all around the basket. This will be one of his biggest assets as he enters the NBA, where defenders are bigger and stronger.

Now, moving on to the weaknesses…