Alabama’s Key transfers to Virginia

Braxton Key has decided to continue his career at Virginia, he told ESPN on Sunday.

Key spent two seasons at Alabama before electing to transfer. He will be required to sit out the 2018-19 season to meet transfer regulations and will have two seasons remaining.

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 7.0 points and 5.3 rebounds last season. That was a drop-off from a strong freshman campaign in which he averaged 12.0 points and 5.7 boards.

Choosing the Cavaliers comes with this interesting nugget: Key is the nephew of former Virginia great Ralph Sampson.

“Alabama has taught me so much about my game and also about myself as a person, and I can’t thank Coach Avery (Johnson) enough for the opportunity,” Key told ESPN. “But I am excited about the next chapter at Virginia. I chose Virginia because of the relationship with the coaches since high school. I love how close the team is, and it’s my uncle Ralph Sampson’s alma mater.

“I’ll miss the Crimson Tide, but I’m so grateful for this next chapter.”

Key was a member of the SEC All-Freshman team following his first season at Alabama. He missed 10 games as a sophomore due to knee surgery.

Virginia went 31-3 last season and was the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament. But the season ended in major disappointment as the Cavaliers became the first No. 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed as UMBC rolled to a 74-54 victory in an opening-round stunner.

–Field Level Media