One prominent national sportswriter was munching on his lunch during a break at Wednesday’s ACC Operation Basketball media day in Charlotte, when he shared that he had moved Virginia up to No. 1 on his ACC preseason ballot.
The reason? Braxton Key’s immediate eligibility approval by the NCAA a week ago (if you subscribed to JerryRatcliffe.com, you received that information three days before the rest of Wahoo Nation). That was enough to convince the writer that Virginia just received a shot in the arm that put the Cavaliers a step ahead of every other team in the league.
Key, a 6-foot-8 junior, can play either the three (small forward) or the four (power forward).
“Braxton brings some diversity to our team in that he can play those two spots,” Tony Bennett said of the Alabama transfer. “He and De’Andre Hunter are different types of players, but if you’ll recall how De’Andre at times could play on the perimeter, and if we wanted to go with a four-guard offense, he gives us some flexibility.”
Doesn’t hurt that Key started for two seasons at Alabama and made the All-SEC freshman team. Due to a knee injury, his numbers were slightly down as a sophomore when he averaged 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.4 blocks per game.
Key, a native of Charlotte, N.C., played at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, and Bennett tried to recruit him out of high school. When Key decided to leave ‘Bama, then UVa was a natural fit.
“Braxton has a good feel for the game,” Bennett said. “We recruited him hard out of high school. He was a good passer and I felt there was some potential defensively. He has that creative ability to see things and have some instincts that he has shown us in practice.”
Bennett, who has always been a proponent that transfers should have to sit out a year (he joked “Right now, I’m glad I’m not”), said that Virginia worked in conjunction with the NCAA and Alabama to make the eligibility happen.
Key not only brings that diversity but also more depth in the frontcourt along with Jack Salt, Mamadi Diakite, and Jay Huff. Bennett has yet another interchangable part for the mix.
Kyle Guy, who played AAU ball with Key, said he was glad to have him aboard.
“Personality-wise, Braxton hasn’t changed at all from those days, which is a good thing,” Guy said. “Player-wise, he’s game-wise now, he’s matured a lot. He always had a good feel for the game but he made a lot of rash decisions, predetermined or something.
“Now, he’ll take a second and make the right play,” Guy said. “He’s always been a good passer. I didn’t realize how good of a rebounder he was. He keeps a lot of plays alive on the offensive end.”
Salt, who has another low-post mate at times, has been impressed with the former Crimson Tide starter.
“Braxton can stretch the floor out, but he also has the strength of a big man,” Salt said. “He can play inside, guard the post, and make strong post moves. He’s another Dre (Hunter), so to have two guys like that is awesome.”
Hunter was the ACC Rookie of the year last season and the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year, not to mention a matchup nightmare for most opponents.
“He can guard guards and bigs,” Salt said. “That adds another dimension. He’s a pretty strong guy down low. He’s got some good moves on the inside and can definitely get to the bucket.”
The fact that Key’s addition was a vote-changing moment for several media in Charlotte, garnered Virginia 47 first-place votes to Duke’s 52, but the Cavaliers were selected as the ACC’s preseason No. 2 team behind the freshmen-heavy Blue Devils by a mere 10 points.
Is that placing too much of an expectation on Key?
“I think it’s a good thing for him,” Guy said of expectations. “I feel like for the team, we’re already going to have expectations and we’ll have to validate ourselves from last season. If we continue to be who we are and Braxton helps us do that, it’ll be fine.”
Bennett, who puts little stock in polls, said it shouldn’t matter to Key one way or the other.
“I’m glad he’s here and he’s going to help us,” Bennett said. “What that equates to, we’re going to find out soon enough. As far as that moving us up in polls, you’re talking to the wrong guy.”
Bennett mentioned earlier in the conversation that he believed that after last year, when the Cavaliers were not ranked preseason nationally, ended up rising to No. 1 in the polls, claiming the nation’s No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, then becoming the first team in history to lose to a No. 16 seed, that he has the right to say polls don’t matter.
“I used to say it doesn’t matter where you’re ranked at the start of the year,” Bennett smiled. “I don’t even say that any more. It’s how you play, and that’s the beauty of competition and sports.”
Virginia fans will get to see Key in action pretty soon. The Cavaliers open play on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at home against Towson, the host George Washington on the 11th, and Coppin State on the 16th before taking a trip to the Bahamas for a three-game tournament.
