Virginia Basketball: Braxton Key is the key to the Cavaliers future
The Virginia Cavaliers landed Braxton Key from the Alabama Crimson Tide on the transfer market, setting the team up for future success.
Braxton Key is off the market.
The Virginia Cavaliers reeled in one of the biggest transfers left on Sunday morning, grabbing the forward from the clutches of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Key’s decision was first reported by ESPN.
His impact on his new team next season will be zilch. As a non-graduate transfer, he will be forced to sit out for the season before taking the court again in 2019-20. But his move to Charlottesville is still a coup for coach Tony Bennett.
Awesome pull for Virginia snagging Alabama transfer Braxton Key. If DeAndre Hunter were to leave after next season, capable replacement as a multi-faceted, skilled forward
— Corey Evans (@coreyevans_10) May 6, 2018
For starters, it eliminates the silly narrative that March’s historic loss at the hands of UMBC would haunt the team’s ability to attract talent. Virginia is still an ACC program that has been in contention for the conference crown and more ever since Bennett arrived. One bad loss was never going to ruin that in the same way a bad scandal potentially could.
More practically, Virginia now has an impact player for the future. When Key becomes eligible, he’ll have two years left in his college career. As a freshman, he averaged 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He slipped a little last year, averaging 7.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game; a knee surgery before the year may have played a part.
Those numbers suggest he could be in line for a big finale as an upperclassman.
On a different scale, this move is also about the ability to create a legacy at Virginia. Key is the nephew of one of the school’s all-time greats, Ralph Sampson. When speaking with ESPN about his decision, Key singled that out as a reason for going to Charlottesville.
While Key won’t be as good as Sampson, that familial connection will create a stronger bond at Virginia and a stronger sense that history happens there.
Next: Georgia Tech adds James Banks
Virginia was the best team in college basketball for four months in 2017-18. With Braxton Key, the team hopes to continue that trend for years to come.