Bulldog legend has chance to make his NBA debut this week

TORONTO, ON (Canada)-“He never gave up… tomorrow will be life changing,” Tyreke Key posted to Facebook on Easter Sunday with photos of himself from the very beginning of his illustrious career taken at Celina K-8 and Clay County High School.

Just hours later, it was official.

Around 11 a.m. CST Monday, the Toronto Raptors welcomed the Bulldog legend to the NBA.

“Welcome to the team,” they posted with the first photo of Key in a Raptors jersey and a big “SIGNED” headline above his head.

Key will join the team for their final three games of the regular season to be played this week, where he will have the chance to make his NBA debut.

The Raptors will host the Miami Heat here Thursday, before traveling to take on the New York Knicks Friday and returning home for a game with the Brooklyn Nets Sunday.

Toronto is being led by Brandon Ingram (21 ppg.), RJ Barrett (19 ppg.), and Scottie Barnes (18 ppg.) this season, and they are looking to clinch one of six guaranteed Eastern Conference playoff berths this week, as they battle for the final spot with the Philadelphia 76ers.

If they don’t make the top six, Toronto will play in the NBA Play-In Tournament April 14-17 to have a chance to become a 7th or 8th seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Key earned his NBA contract by averaging 14.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 24.5 minutes in 47 games (16 starts) with the Raptors 905 NBA G League team this season.

An NBA.com article announcing Key’s signing said he shot 51% (241-469) from the field, 40% (74-185) from three-point range, and 86% (86-100) from the free throw line in his second season with the 905.

It explained Key scored in double figures in 33 games, including 20 or more points 13 times, and helped the 905 earn the number one seed in the league’s Tip-Off Tournament, reach the 2025 G League Winter Showcase Final, and clinch a playoff berth.

His play with the Raptors 905 last year earned him an invitation to take part in the NBA 2K26 Summer League 2025 in Las Vegas last July and a chance to play in the G League again this season.

Key became Clay County’s first-ever pro athlete when he kicked off his professional journey in the fall of 2023 overseas in Belgium’s BNXT League as a star for the Stella Artois Leuven Bears, where he led the league in scoring averaging 19.6 points per game.

The year prior to turning pro, Key played his final collegiate season with the Tennessee Volunteers, where he appeared in 33 games and averaged nine points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.

Key began his collegiate career and played four seasons at Indiana State University (ISU), where he scored over 1,600 points to rank sixth on the school’s all-time leading scorer list.

He averaged 17 points per game in his final season as a Sycamore playing in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), before missing a year due to injury.

Key was named First Team All-MVC in his last two seasons at ISU and had interest from a wide array of Power 5 schools when he entered the transfer portal, before committing to UT.

During his high school career at Clay County, Key scored 3,237 points to become the Bulldogs’ all-time leading scorer.  The total also ranks him 10th all-time in Tennessee.

Additionally, Key was named Class A Mr. Basketball his senior season (2017), the same year he posted 1,383 points to break the state’s single-season scoring mark.

For more information about Key’s upcoming games with the Raptors, visit www.nba.com/raptors.