During the 2024–25 campaign, Jaylen Carey played in all 33 games. He averaged 8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, scored in double figures 11 times, and recorded five games with 10+ rebounds. There’s no doubt he’s a phenom, but the credit doesn’t belong to Jaylen alone. His parents have played a major role in his journey, too.

Who are the parents of Jaylen Carey?

Jaylen was born on July 20, 2005, in Davie to Vernon Carey Sr. and LaTavia Carey. His mother has worked as a substitute teacher. His father, meanwhile, is the source of his athletic genes. Vernon Carey Sr. was a national champion in 2001 and an All-American offensive lineman at Miami in 2003. He was selected No. 19 overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.

He went on to appear in 107 games over an eight-year NFL career. He married his longtime girlfriend, LaTavia, in October 2004. The couple later welcomed their first child, Vernon Jr., followed by twins Jaylen and Taelynn, and then their youngest, Dynver.

What are the nationalities of Jaylen Carey’s parents?

Jaylen was born and raised in Harlem. That is where he developed his basketball skills and learned to cope with his skin disease. Harlem shaped him into a top-100 player in his class. He even has “Harlem” tattooed across his forearm. Since it is his hometown, he is American. However, not much is known about his parents’ nationality. 

Who are the siblings of Jaylen Carey?

Jaylen has three siblings. The biggest reason he pursued basketball was his brother, Vernon Carey Jr. He is an American professional basketball player for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League.

Vernon Jr. played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, where he earned multiple honors, including ACC Rookie of the Year and NABC Freshman of the Year, and was a consensus All-American. 

He was a top-five basketball recruit and was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 2020. However, not much is publicly known about Jaylen’s other siblings, except for Vernon Jr.

Inside Jaylen Carey’s Relationship With His Parents

When Jaylen was in middle school, he began questioning whether basketball was truly the sport he wanted to pursue. He was starting to resemble his father, who was listed at 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds. His father would occasionally ask if he was interested in football, but Jaylen always wanted to follow in the footsteps of Vernon Jr. 

As he explained, “Junior year of high school was when I really shredded it all. I was like 300 in eighth or ninth grade, but when you really want something, you put your all into it. I questioned myself sometimes, but I always watched my brother when I was young and did what he did. I’ve always wanted to be like him.”

Jaylen put in the work, but it was his parents who stood by him every step of the way. As his JMU head coach, Mark Byington, puts it better, “There’s a lot of credit. He can thank his mom and dad. They are an athletic family from his genes.”