FTER THE NCAA season
was cut short and the
country went into
lockdown in March, you could
likely find Vernon Carey Jr. in
his backyard pool. But even with
the steamy South Florida sun,
there were no inf latable f loats or
umbrella drinks to be found—the
Duke freshman standout used the
water for workouts, as he set out
to slim down his 6' 10", 270-pound
lineman-like frame.
Since finishing his abbreviated
one-and-done season with the
Blue Devils, in which he put up
17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and
1.6 blocks a game, Carey has shed
30 pounds, thanks to two training
sessions a day, five days a week, and
a personal chef who helped revamp
his diet. Swaps like a gallon jug of
water for sugary juices, fruits for
candy and nutrient-dense quinoa
for processed starches aided in fatA
loss and lean muscle growth during
the process.
“I’m a totally different player,”
says the 19-year-old, who was picked
32nd by the Hornets in the draft. The
son of the former Miami Dolphins
and Hurricanes offensive tackle,
Carey is out to prove he’s more than
just a physical post player, a position
he dominated in college.
As he dropped about three to
five pounds per week, Carey’s
on-court efforts focused on
perimeter shooting, defensive
techniques and his ability to space
the f loor. After basketball skills
sessions, he worked on buildinglateral quickness, explosive power
and unilateral strength with
Felix Flores, his fitness coach.
Flores utilized complex training, or
post-activation potentiation, which
integrates heavy weightlifting,
plyometrics and sport-specific
movements into one workout.
“That transfers over to what he
does on the court, with jumping,
grabbing rebounds, doing the
Eurosteps,” says Flores. And the
pool was no exception—exercises
in the water, such as lateral slides,
also mimicked basketball moves.
“Those were hell, because he has
a long pool,” Flores says.30 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED | SI.COM
HOW DUKE STAR
VERNON CAREY JR.
LEANED OUT FOR HIS
JUMP TO THE NBAWA T E R
WEIGHT
LOSS
EDGE: GEAR. TECH. FITNESS.
BY JAMIE LISANTISCORECARDCH
RIS(^) KE
AN
E