In a perfect world, when pinpointing a fitting comparison for any future Duke basketball player, fans could limit the search to former Blue Devils and avoid resorting to rehashing images of a former Tar Heel.
But the size, game, and face of incoming freshman Vernon Carey Jr. — a five-star center who ranks No. 6 on the 247Sports Composite and picked Duke in December from a final three-team list that included UNC — spawn no instant flashbacks to past Blue Devil big men.
- The 6-foot-10, 275-pound Miami native’s inside touch has the potential to match that of Elton Brand, but Carey Jr.