TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Collin Sexton will not be the only notable departure from Alabama basketball’s roster this season. Forward Braxton Key will also leave the team this offseason, head coach Avery Johnson announced in a university release Friday morning.
Alabama has already granted Key his release.
“I met with Braxton on Thursday and had a good talk with him,” Johnson said. “Braxton certainly has a bright future, but he has to do what’s best for him. We wish him nothing but the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
Key was fifth on the team in scoring averaging 7.0 points while finishing third in rebounding with 5.3 a game during his sophomore year this past season. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward suffered a meniscus injury in November which caused him to miss the first 10 games.
“This was not an easy decision to make,” Key said in the release. “I’ve enjoyed my two seasons at the University of Alabama. I want to thank the coaches, support staff and my teammates for helping me get better each and every day. I especially would like to thank all the fans for their support over the past two years.”
Key earned SEC All-Freshman honors during his first season in Tuscaloosa, leading Alabama with 12 points per game while finishing second in rebounding (5.7 rpg) and assists (2.5 apg).
While Key will be gone, Alabama appears to have another veteran forward returning for next season as sources confirmed earlier this month that Riley Norris is expected to be granted a medical redshirt and will play his final year with the Crimson Tide.
“That’s something that still hasn’t been official yet. Obviously, we hope that he will be [back],” Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said earlier this month. “If it’s a medical redshirt situation, that’s a process we have to go through. If we have the opportunity to have him back, he’s a senior, guy in the graduate program, desperately wants to go to the NCAA Tournament. He’s a winner, so it would mean a tremendous amount if that becomes a reality.”
Norris suffered a season-ending hip injury last December. He played in nine games, averaging 4.8 points and 2.4 rebounds before the injury. During his junior season, Norris was third on the team with 9.0 points per game and led Alabama with 47 made 3-pointers. He has started 54 games over his first three years with the Crimson Tide.
Alabama will also bring in a three-man recruiting class which includes four-star guard Jared Butler, three-star guard Diante Wood and three-star center Javian Fleming. Former Texas guard Tevin Mack will also join the fold after sitting out last year due to transfer. Mack led the Longhorns in scoring during the 2016-17 season with 14.8 points per game.
The Tuscaloosa News was first to report on Key’s transfer.
