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Avery Johnson and Crimson Tide fans have some news to celebrate this Tuesday morning, as forward Braxton Key has announced that he is withdrawing from this year’s NBA Draft. Key is coming off a freshman season in which he was Alabama’s leading scorer, putting up 12 points per game and pulling down roughly 6 rebounds in each outing.
Braxton Key tells me he will withdraw from the 2017 NBA Draft and return to Alabama next season. Huge news for the Crimson Tide.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 23, 2017
IT'S OFFICIAL! #RollTide #BuckleUp pic.twitter.com/laRUfI687y
— Alabama M Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) May 23, 2017
Key’s announcement is also welcome news when one considers that Alabama’s recruiting class for next season is ranked as the 6th-best in the country by 247Sports. The return of Braxton Key—combined with the arrival of Collin Sexton, John Petty, and Alex Reese—means that the Crimson Tide are gearing up for a successful 2017 season.
Since the hiring of the Avery Johnson in 2015, Alabama fans have been watching as the basketball team slowly improves. 2017 should be the year where they finally take the next step forward in their quest to rise up the ranks of the SEC.