Duke basketball: Projecting Vernon Carey Jr.’s NBA potential
The weaknesses of Duke basketball’s Vernon Carey Jr.
Left-hand dominant – Like most lefty hoopers, Vernon Carey Jr. tends to only use his left hand. He would almost always only post up or catch the ball on the left side. When Carey got the ball on the right block, you could pretty much guarantee that he was going to spin to the middle for a jump hook over his right shoulder. In the NBA, teams are going to force him to the right side and make him score with his off-hand. If he can add a pull-up jumper or continue to improve his floater in the lane, he should be able to become a more versatile scorer.
Footwork – As I mentioned earlier in this post, Carey put up better numbers in his freshman season than Jahlil Okafor did. Perhaps the biggest separator between the two, however, is that Okafor looked a lot more natural and comfortable operating in the post. A lot of Carey’s buckets last year came from his strength and soft touch around the rim, bullying defenders and knocking them off their spot so he could have space to finish.
Post moves – Unlike Okafor, Carey did not show off a wide array of moves in the post. He would mainly utilize the drop-step, spin, or power-through move. His moves were at times predictable, which led to some offensive fouls and stripped balls. He’ll have to tighten up his footwork, add a few ball-fakes to his game, and develop some secondary or counter moves. It definitely seemed at times that defenders knew what Carey wanted to do; he was just too big and strong for most opposing big men. He would really benefit from being on a team with an older and more experienced big man to learn from and go up against in practice every day.
Defending the perimeter – Like most freshman bigs, Carey struggled to defend quicker players. I remember a game against NC State late in the season where the Blue Devils had to switch to a zone because they were getting carved up on ball-screens. To make it as a big in today’s NBA, you must be able to execute that switch. Switching on ball-screens has become the norm. There were times Carey struggled to defend the pick-and-roll and at keeping perimeter guys in front of him. He’s a good athlete but will have to improve his lateral quickness to better defend ball-screens. Despite not being an explosive athlete, though, he did a nice job protecting the rim, finishing just outside the top five in the ACC in blocks.
Decision and playmaking ability – It’s a little unfair to label this is a weakness since playmaking wasn’t one of Carey’s primary responsibilities. Also, most freshmen aren’t great decision-makers. However, the NBA requires quick decisions, especially as a big man. NBA big men have to be able to pass and create for others when operating in the post. At times, Carey would just put his head down, trying to power through a defender. Especially with all the shooting in the NBA, big guys must be able to keep their head up to spot open shooters. Again, just like most freshmen, Carey was turnover prone at times. When he gets the ball at the high, mid, or low post he has to make a quick decision with the ball.
So what kind of numbers might Vernon Carey Jr. be capable of in the NBA?…