Braxton Key

Braxton Key is a well-established professional basketball player currently serving as part of the Denver Nuggets team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has also secured a two-way contract with the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League.

Key was born on February 14, 1997 and showed an inclination towards sports at a very early age. He shares a biological connection with NBA player Ralph Sampson, who is his uncle and a prominent player at the University of Virginia. Key’s father, Eric Key, also played basketball at Radford University.

During his early years, Braxton, known then by his childhood surname of Blackwell, dedicated three seasons to Christ Presbyterian Academy and led the team to a state victory in 2013. Continuing his soaring performances, he amassed the prestigious TSSAA’s Mr. Basketball award consecutively in 2014 and 2015.

Later on, he transferred his skills to Oak Hill Academy during his senior year. The opportunity allowed him to play under his father’s surname for the first time and guide the team to a magnificent 45-1 record, and ultimately to the national championship.

As Key’s journey advanced, he earned a place in the Alabama Crimson Tide, playing as a freshman, where he recorded the team’s highest average of 12 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. In a memorable match against Georgia, he scored an impressive season-high of 26 points and received the All-SEC Freshman team award. Serving as a sophomore, he maintained an average of 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.4 blocks per game, despite a knee setback that caused him to miss some games.

A significant turning point in Braxton’s career was his transfer to Virginia, wherein the NCAA immediately declared him eligible. During the 2018-2019 season, he celebrated a national championship under his belt, with a vital performance scoring six points, 10 rebounds, and a block in the title-winning match against Texas Tech.

Despite an unfortunate wrist injury that required surgery in November 2019 causing him to miss several games, Key made a successful return to the court in a match against Stony Brook on December 18. His constant striving performances in the season garnered him All-ACC Honorable Mention.

His final year at Virginia saw Key average 9.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, carving out a prominent legacy for himself at the university.

Despite not being picked in the 2020 NBA draft, Key demonstrated his grit by joining the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League in January 2021. He made a significant impact during the season, delivering a standout performance of a season-high 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a formidable 120-92 victory over the NBA G League Ignite.

Following this, he signed a short stint with the Philadelphia 76ers on October 13, 2021, but was released the same day. He later rejoined Delaware where he continued to impress with an average of 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks in a span of 23.7 minutes, throughout his 43 career NBA G League games.

Furthemore, Braxton Key had a brief spell with the Detroit Pistons under a 10-day contract on March 24, 2022, which was later upgraded into a two-way contract. However, this contract was terminated shortly after, on December 26, 2022.

Nevertheless, the constant ups and downs did not deter his determination, and Key returned to the Delaware Blue Coats on January 1, 2023. His return contributed significantly to the team’s NBA G League title victory.

In April 2023, Key had a brief career stint with Vaqueros de Bayamón of the Puerto Rican league. This moved turned out to be short-lived as he was released by the end of May.

Overcoming all the roadblocks, Braxton Key finally secured a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets on July 18, 2023. Since then, he has been showcasing his skills and contributing his extensive college and G-league experience to Denver Nugget’s lineup.