.jpg) Key withVirginia in 2019 | |
| No. 7 – Valencia Basket | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward /small forward |
| League | Liga ACB EuroLeague |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1997-02-14)February 14, 1997 (age 28) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | |
| NBA draft | 2020:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021–2022 | Delaware Blue Coats |
| 2022 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2022 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2022 | →Motor City Cruise |
| 2023 | Delaware Blue Coats |
| 2023 | Vaqueros de Bayamón |
| 2023–2024 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2023–2024 | →Grand Rapids Gold |
| 2024–2025 | San Diego Clippers |
| 2025 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2025 | →Santa Cruz Warriors |
| 2025–present | Valencia |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Braxton Ellis Key[1][2] (néBlackwell; born February 14, 1997) is an American professionalbasketball player forValencia of the SpanishLiga ACB and theEuroLeague. He playedcollege basketball for theAlabama Crimson Tide and theVirginia Cavaliers.
Key is the nephew of NBA playerRalph Sampson, who starred at the University of Virginia.[3][4] Key's father Eric Key played atRadford University. Under his childhood surname of Blackwell,[5] Key played three seasons withChrist Presbyterian Academy, leading the team to a state title in 2013 and winningTSSAA's Mr. Basketball award in 2014 and 2015.[6] He then transferred toOak Hill Academy for his senior year, where he played under his father's surname for the first time and led the team to a 45–1 record and national championship.[7][8]
Key averaged a team-high 12 points and 5.7 rebounds per game as a freshman atAlabama. He scored a season-high 26 points againstGeorgia and was named to the All-SEC Freshman team.[8] As a sophomore, Key averaged 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.4 blocks per game. He was hobbled by a knee injury that forced him to miss some playing time.[9]
After the season, Key transferred to Virginia and was granted an immediate eligibility waiver by the NCAA.[9] In the2018–19 season, Key won a national championship at Virginia, scoring six points, pulling down 10 rebounds and blocking one shot in the title game againstTexas Tech.[10] Key averaged 5.7 points and 5.3 rebounds as a junior, starting six games.[11] Key had surgery for a wrist injury in November 2019 and missed several games.[12] He returned to action on December 18 againstStony Brook.[13] At the conclusion of the regular season, Key was named All-ACC Honorable Mention.[14] As a senior, Key averaged 9.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.[15]
After going undrafted in the2020 NBA draft, Key joined theDelaware Blue Coats of theNBA G League in January 2021, after being selected in the G League draft.[16] On March 2, he posted a season-high 19 points to go with five rebounds, two assists, two steals two blocks in a 120–92 win over theNBA G League Ignite.[17]
On October 13, 2021, Key signed with thePhiladelphia 76ers, but was waived the same day.[18] On October 25, he re-signed with Delaware.[19] In 43 career NBA G League games, he averaged 14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in 23.7 minutes.[20]
On January 5, 2022, Key signed a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.[21] Key appeared in two games for the 76ers, scoring two points in six total minutes. After his 10-day contract expired, Key was reacquired by the Delaware Blue Coats.[22]
On March 24, 2022, Key signed a 10-day contract with theDetroit Pistons.[23] On April 3, he signed a two-way contract.[20] On December 26, 2022, Key was waived.[24]
On January 1, 2023, Key was re-acquired by theDelaware Blue Coats,[25] and eventually helped the team win theNBA G League title.[26]
On April 14, 2023, Key signed withVaqueros de Bayamón of thePuerto Rican league.[27] He was released on May 31.[28]
Braxton Key signed with theDallas Mavericks for theNBA 2K24 Summer League. On July 18, 2023, Key signed a two-way contract with theDenver Nuggets.[29]
On October 12, 2024, Key signed with theLos Angeles Clippers,[30] but was waived a week later.[31] On October 28, he joined theSan Diego Clippers.[32]
On March 4, 2025, Key signed a two-way contract with theGolden State Warriors.[33] On April 13, his two-way contract with the Warriors was converted into a standard contract.[34]
On September 23, 2025, he signed a contract with theMemphis Grizzlies ahead of the2025–26 season.[35] He was one of the last cuts to the team's final roster on October 18.[36]
On October 25, 2025, he signed withValencia of the SpanishLiga ACB.[37]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Philadelphia | 2 | 0 | 3.2 | .500 | .000 | — | 1.0 | .5 | .5 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Detroit | 9 | 0 | 21.2 | .457 | .300 | .538 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 8.6 | |
| 2022–23 | Detroit | 3 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.000 | — | 1.000 | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.3 |
| 2023–24 | Denver | 20 | 0 | 3.0 | .412 | .400 | .750 | .9 | .5 | .1 | .1 | 1.1 |
| 2024–25 | Golden State | 3 | 0 | 3.7 | .000 | .000 | .500 | .7 | .0 | .7 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Career | 37 | 0 | 7.5 | .436 | .296 | .621 | 1.9 | .5 | .4 | .3 | 2.9 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Alabama | 34 | 30 | 29.8 | .433 | .330 | .634 | 5.7 | 2.5 | .6 | .6 | 12.0 |
| 2017–18 | Alabama | 26 | 17 | 25.2 | .409 | .250 | .667 | 5.3 | 1.8 | 1.0 | .4 | 7.0 |
| 2018–19 | Virginia | 38 | 6 | 19.8 | .433 | .305 | .731 | 5.3 | 1.0 | .9 | .6 | 5.7 |
| 2019–20 | Virginia | 27 | 25 | 33.6 | .435 | .185 | .584 | 7.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | .6 | 9.9 |
| Career | 125 | 78 | 26.6 | .429 | .274 | .645 | 5.8 | 1.8 | .9 | .6 | 8.6 | |
Key was known as Braxton Blackwell until 2015 when he made the decision to change his name as part of a "personal decision."[5]
