Junior forward Jaylen Carey is the University of Tennessee representative on the SEC Community Service Team for men's basketball.
This is the 28th year for the SEC Community Service Team for both men's and women's basketball. All but two—rowing is in its second year as an SEC sport—of the league's 22 sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams for men's and women's sports being chosen from 1999-2003.
The SEC began this concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.
In his first year at Tennessee, Carey has already made an impact on the local community in multiple ways.
During the holiday season, Carey hosted a shopping spree for children in Knoxville at Dick's House of Sport. Each of the 23 kids in attendance, all from the Emerald Youth Foundation, received $300 in goods. Carey also had multiple teammates accompany him to the store to enhance the experience for the children.
Additionally, Carey participated in the annual Hoops for Hope event at Farragut High School in advance of the 2025-26 season. He and his teammates helped run a basketball clinic—it featured games, stations, autographs and more—for individuals in the area with Down syndrome, in conjunction with the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee.
The 6-foot-8, 267-pounder from Southwest Ranches, Fla., was actively involved with the participants throughout the afternoon, working to help maximize their experiences.
Carey and No. 23/25 Tennessee (21-9, 11-6 SEC) conclude the regular season Saturday at 2 p.m. against No. 24/22 Vanderbilt, live on ESPN from Food City Center.