In his two seasons at Alabama, Key started 47 games. A knee injury limited his effectiveness in 2017-18, but in 2016-17 he averaged 12 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and made the Southeastern Conference’s All-Freshman team.
In his first year at UVA, he had a supporting role. Used mostly off the bench, Key led the Hoos in rebounding (5.3 per game) and was second in steals (38), but he averaged only 19.8 minutes per game.
“I think that’s always hard,” associate head coach Jason Williford said. “You’ve started at your previous place, and you’re coming in [to a different program] and you’ve got to just find a niche. I think he’d be honest and tell you it was frustrating at times.”
Key, who started six games last season, admits as much.
“When you’re sitting [on the bench] in those moments, you do get down on yourself a little bit,” he said. “But we had great leaders last year – Kyle, Ty, Dre, Jack – and they all would talk to me and say they’ve been through it. They had their times when they weren’t playing much, and they were like, ‘It’s unfortunate that you’re a junior and having to go through it. We were freshmen when we went through it.’”
Along the way, however, Key came to appreciate the value of patience.
“It’s not the easiest thing, it’s not the sexiest word, but sometimes being patient is worth it,” said Key, a history major who’s taking a Spanish class this summer.
In the NCAA tournament, Key played 11 minutes against Gardner-Webb and 21 against Oklahoma, a second-round win in which he contributed nine points and nine rebounds. But in Virginia’s next three games – victories over Oregon, Purdue and Auburn – he totaled only two points and two rebounds in 19 minutes.
None of that foretold a significant role for Key against Texas Tech, but Key played 29 minutes in the championship game. At the end of the second half, Key blocked a shot by the Red Raiders’ NBA lottery pick, Jarrett Culver, to force overtime, and he finished with six points, two assists and a game-high 10 rebounds.
“Braxton did a great job,” said UVA head coach Tony Bennett, with whom Key had a memorable conversation amid the celebration at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“I said, ‘Coach, thank you for trusting me. It’s been a roller-coaster,’” Key recalled after the game, “and he was like, ‘I told you, stay faithful and stay ready. You never knew when your time was going to come, and it came today. I’m so happy for you.’”