Braxton Key Named 2024-25 Kia NBA G League Defensive Player Of The Year

SANTA CRUZ, CA – Two-way forward Braxton Key has been named the 2024-25 Kia NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year, it was announced today.

Key, who signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors on March 4, appeared in 33 regular season games (30 starts) this year for the San Diego Clippers and Santa Cruz Warriors. Key averaged 22.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 steals in 31.5 minutes over 11 appearances for the Warriors (10 starts). The 6’8” forward led the G League with 96 steals in the regular season, the second-most steals in a single season by any NBA G League player since 2020-21. Key is the second player in Santa Cruz history to appear in at least five regular season games and average more than 3.0 steals per game after Kent Bazemore, who averaged 4.4 steals across five appearances in 2012-13.

This award marks the third time in franchise history that a Santa Cruz Warriors player has been named Defensive Player of the Year since the NBA G League (formerly the NBA Development League, or NBA D-League) began play in 2001-02. Guard Stefhon Hannah previously won the award with the Warriors during their inaugural season in Santa Cruz in 2012-13, and guard Aaron Craft was the last to win the honor for Santa Cruz in the 2014-15 season.