NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington announced the addition of Jaylen Carey to the Commodores’ 2024-25 roster on Wednesday.
A 6-foot-8 forward, Carey played his freshman season for Byington at James Madison where he averaged 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15 minutes per game. Carey played in all 36 contests for the Dukes, including a pair of NCAA Tournament games. He finished the season shooting 66.9 percent from the field on 157 attempts.
“Obviously, I know Jaylen very well after coaching him last season,” said Byington. “He is extremely talented, I know he belongs at the highest level of basketball which is the SEC. He is a physical presence but also has a great feel for making the right play. He will be used all over the floor with his ability to shoot threes, make plays for his teammates and score inside.”
Carey scored in double figures nine times as a freshman, including a season-high 16 points against Keystone. He racked up 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the Dukes’ 91-71 win over Arkansas State in the Sun Belt title game.
The freshman grabbed a season-best 10 rebounds as part of a double-double effort against Hampton. Carey scored 12 points against the Pirates in just 19 minutes of action.
A native of Davie, Florida, Carey enjoyed a standout prep career at Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale where he was named an all-county and all-state performer as a junior. He averaged 14.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game as a senior in 2022-23. On the travel circuit, Carey earned second team honors at the 2022 Nike EYBL Peach Jam while playing with Nightrydas Elite.
Carey is the younger brother of former Duke standout, All-American and 2020 NBA Draft pick Vernon Carey Jr. His father, Vernon Carey Sr., was an All-American offensive tackle for the Miami Hurricanes and went on to play eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins.
Carey will join Vanderbilt as a sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining.
