His father weighed 340 pounds and blocked for Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown on the Miami Dolphins offensive line for eight seasons. His grandfather played basketball at Oral Roberts University. Vernon Carey Jr. was built for both sports, but he chose the one where the ball was smaller and the stakes, for a 6-10 kid with soft hands and nimble feet, were higher.
Carey was born on February 25, 2001, in Miami, Florida, and grew up in Southwest Ranches, an affluent suburb west of Fort Lauderdale. His father, Vernon Carey Sr., was a first-round NFL pick — taken 19th overall by the Dolphins in the 2004 Draft after an All-American career at the University of Miami. The family's athletic pedigree was undeniable. But Vernon Jr. was drawn to the court, not the field, from the beginning.
He attended NSU University School in Fort Lauderdale — so named because it sits on the campus of Nova Southeastern University. From his freshman year forward, Carey dominated. As a sophomore, he averaged 22.0 points and 8.0 rebounds and led University School to a Florida district championship. As a junior, the numbers swelled to 26.1 points and 10.4 rebounds as the team went 36-2 and won the Florida 5A state title, the City of Palms Classic, and the John Wall Invitational. His senior year featured a supporting cast that included future NBA players Scottie Barnes, Taylor Hendricks, and Jace and Jett Howard, and the Sharks defended their state championship — though Carey was sidelined for the title game itself.
On the AAU circuit with Nike Team Florida, he averaged 17.4 points and 5.3 rebounds on the EYBL. At the Nike Peach Jam, he posted 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks against James Wiseman, the consensus #1 recruit in the country. By the end of his senior season, Carey was ranked sixth nationally by the RSCI, a consensus five-star, and selected for the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.
On December 6, 2018 — the one-year anniversary of his grandfather Vincent's passing — Carey pulled a Duke handkerchief from his jacket pocket on SportsCenter and announced his commitment. He chose the Blue Devils over North Carolina, Miami, Michigan State, and Kentucky. 'The reason why I chose Duke and Coach K is the recruiting class they're bringing in this year,' he told ESPN's Cari Champion. 'Wendell Moore and Boogie Ellis, and hopefully some more guys will come with me.' Duke's pitch, as Carey explained it, was that they saw him as 'a positionless player' who 'can play anywhere on the court.'