How new Charlotte Hornet Vernon Carey remade himself after Duke to be NBA-ready
When Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak saw Vernon Carey, Jr., play last season, the impression wasn’t good.
“I think he was a little bit out of shape,” Kupchak recalled of the center/power forward from Duke.
A crash diet after the college basketball season changed Kupchak’s perception. Badly in need of center depth, Kupchak used the 32nd pick early in the second round to draft Carey..
Later in the second round, Kupchak traded for the rights to another big man, Kentucky’s Nick Richards. Then, with the 56th pick, Kupchak added College of Charleston point guard Grant Riller.
Carey knew he had to make himself over to save his draft stock. He hired a personal chef to improve his nutrition and dramatically cut back on calories.
“I lost 30 pounds. I’m at 240 right now,” Carey said. “Nothing really changed (as far as specific food choices), just the portions that I eat.”
Center is a clear area of need for the Hornets; they have only Cody Zeller under contract at that position. Rebounding (they were last in the NBA in defensive-rebounding percentage) and rim-protection were weaknesses.
Drafting Carey and trading for Richards (the Hornets will send a 2024 second-round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in that deal) adds big bodies. The Hornets were highly interested in center James Wiseman at the top of the draft, but he went second overall to the Golden State Warriors. The Hornets then selected point guard LaMelo Ball with the third pick.
Richards’ athleticism
The Hornets went to New York for a Richards workout and were particularly impressed with his athleticism for his size. In three seasons at Kentucky, 6-11 Richards was limited offensively. But he believes he can help right away defensively.
“From my first game in the NBA, the one thing I feel I can translate right over is my defense. I feel my defensive ability will carry over.”
Richards said he has looked at NBA centers Clint Capela and Tyson Chandler as models for how he should play in the NBA. He’s been working on offensive moves and shooting in the run-up to the draft, knowing those were his weaknesses headed to the pros.
Combo guard
Riller, chosen near the bottom of the 60-player draft, expects to spend heavy time with the G-League Greensboro Swarm.
He embraces what the G-League did for other Hornets, particularly Devonte Graham.
“That’s something I’ve always been for,” said Riller, a 6-3 guard who grew up in Orlando, Fla. “It’s an opportunity to prove myself in an NBA atmosphere.”
Riller describes himself as a classic combo guard — someone who can be effective either at the point or at shooting guard. The Hornets are loaded with ball-handling guards in Graham, Terry Rozier and No. 3 overall pick LaMelo Ball. Riller understands he’s a project for the Hornets, but also with the versatility to have a chance.
“I create for myself and also for others. I like to play off pick-and-rolls, but at the same time super comfortable playing off the ball,” Riller described.