Key Out For the Season.

[Spacejam]

OMG, this is very serious. I am very glad this was discovered sooner rather than later. Praying she has a full healthy recovery.

 

[DunkinsDad]

Get well soon Tamari. We are all praying for your full recovery

 

[VolBalls33]

Prayers for Key and her family.

 

[kell7517]

Your health is number one and comes first young lady. Praying for complete healing to you.

 

[kell7517]

Let’s hear those apologies and well wishes from all those folks that complained she looked slow and out of shape.

So instead of just praying for the young lady you go this route. Question is, are you saying you noticed her being slow and out of shape too, but now you can pinpoint it on something?

 

[teacherdean]

What a sad thing to here. Her last game was very good against a very good post. I wish her a quick recovery . This is already a difficult start for the Lady Vol hopefully they can play with heart in support for one of their team leaders.

 

[kell7517]

This is a HUGE loss. Defensively, she is the straw that stirs the drink on our team. She simply can't be replaced yet on defense.

This I agree on %

 

[Volfan1000]

Best wishes for a very speedy recovery to Key and good luck to her in her future endeavors.

 

[LV renaissance]

A touching and heartfelt read.
How Lady Vols' Kellie Harper learned of Tamari Key's blood clots: 'It's a lot to handle'
Cora Hall
Knoxville News Sentinel

I

Kellie Harper doesn't typically have her phone with her at tipoff.
The Lady Vols basketball coach did Tuesday, anxiously awaiting a phone call. Harper's phone rang three minutes before Tennessee tipped off against Chattanooga. The news sent her spinning.
Lady Vols center Tamari Key was diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs, the jarring answer to recent weeks of testing as the senior labored through the early season. Key is expected to make a full recovery but will miss the rest of the season.
Harper walked into her postgame press conference hours after the call, shaken and lacking the upbeat tone expected after a 30-point win during a trying season.
"I did my best to try to stay even," Harper told Knox News on Thursday. "But I knew that that press conference probably reflected a little bit of my state of mind."

DOWN THREE PLAYERS:Rickea Jackson, Tamari Key unavailable for Lady Vols basketball; Hollingshead back
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'As a human being, it's a lot to handle'
Key was present for shootaround Tuesday before UT's matchup with Chattanooga. She wasn't at Thompson-Boling Arena when the Lady Vols returned to the court for warmups.
Key has gone through "a battery of tests" in recent weeks. The Lady Vols staff was searching for answers to explain why Key didn't look like herself on the court.




Harper found out at 5:15 p.m. that Key needed to go to the hospital for "immediate follow-up" to prior testing. She learned Key's diagnosis at 6:27 p.m. Harper opted to keep the news to herself. She processed the emotions and information as the Key-less starting lineup was announced.
"Fortunately, when the ball is tipped, there's a lot of things going on that require my immediate attention," Harper said. "You've got to be able to compartmentalize in those situations."

The fourth-year coach told the Lady Vols the news following 69-39 win. The team had the past two days off since the Chattanooga game. Harper has taken that time to attend to her players and their needs as they process Key's diagnosis. There is a heaviness that Harper is navigating alongside her players.
"As a human being, it's a lot to handle," Harper said. "But as an athlete, it's a big demand as well. Because then we're also saying, 'Oh, yeah, by the way, we're gonna practice,' and 'Oh, by the way, we're going to be the best we can be on the court and in games.'"
Harper remains grateful that the condition was caught when it was. The staff is going to work with Key's medical team to have her around as much as possible.

"I think anytime you have adversity, you rise to meet it," Harper said. "No one wants to see their teammate go through something like this. No one wants to see their teammate hurting. They love Tamari, and a lot of times, it becomes an inspiration point. How they can continue to be better, not just for each other, but for her."
Key posted a statement on Instagram on Thursday. She thanked fans for their support throughout her career and continuing into her recovery. She expressed gratitude to have the issue identified and declared that she will emerge "from this setback stronger than ever!"
Key's on-court struggles led to harsh criticism
Key and Harper arrived at Tennessee in tandem, newcomers in Knoxville prior to the 2019-20 season. Together, they have worked to re-establish the program.
Key has been a staple of the Lady Vols program for four seasons, starting 93 times in 99 games played. She had a career season in 2021-22, averaging 10.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks to propel the Lady Vols to the Sweet 16. She set the program record last season with 277 career blocks.

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"It has been fun to watch her grow and mature over her career here at Tennessee," Harper said. "I'm very proud of who she is, and I'm thankful and grateful that she had that love for this university and for this program, and that she stayed and stayed true and believed."
Key was a major reason why the Lady Vols were ranked No. 4 in the preseason, but she struggled to match her play from a season ago. She searched for ways to contribute, while the Lady Vols managed Key's minutes with a 16-player roster and deep post rotation. She averaged 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and two blocks in 19.1 minutes per game.

Key's struggles led to outside criticism, being labeled as lazy and judged for her physical appearance.
"When you see people unjustifiably being attacked, you have to recognize what that is," Harper said. "In my mind, these are insignificant people who don't know. These people have courage behind an anonymous name. My focus is more on Tamari and making sure that she feels support, that she is supported, that she has every resource available to her to be her best on and off the court."
Anytime a player is removed from the sport they love, it's difficult. But it's even harder when that player was supposed to be a key piece of a title-contending team.
"She loves her teammates, and she loves his team," Harper said. "She wants the team to be successful. I think this is going to be hard, I really do ... She will, as an athlete, have to find other ways to impact her teammates and the game — and we will be able to help her with that."
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[Dak1219]

This! Harper said. "In my mind, these are insignificant people who don't know. These people have courage behind an anonymous name

 

[chuckiepoo]

This! Harper said. "In my mind, these are insignificant people who don't know. These people have courage behind an anonymous name

Calling out all keyboard warriors! I love it!

 

[ncteacher88]

That is a terrible thing to hear. Thoughts and prayers go out to her.

 

[LurkerExposed]

Terrible news for Key and for the Lady Vols. Prayers to Tamari and her family for a full and complete recovery.....

 

[Prophet1]

My prayers and spiritual anointing upon you .
Heart lifted up to the Almighty and knees down at the altar of God.

 

[Prophet1]

This! Harper said. "In my mind, these are insignificant people who don't know. These people have courage behind an anonymous name

Calling your fanbase "insignificant" is a bit under the bottom , maybe she meant "these people don't know ". She's doing the same thing the people she's criticizing did.

 

[JCP201]

She played so well in her last game. I hope her recovery works out like Trey's did.

 

[madtownvol]

Calling your fanbase "insignificant" is a bit under the bottom , maybe she meant "these people don't know ". She's doing the same thing the people she's criticizing did.

Nope, Nope, Nope. Coach Harper did not call out the "fanbase" She called out the key board warriors who attack a player on her appearance or assassinate her character. Such individuals have earned the right to be classified as insignificant. These keyboard warriors are not the types you want to be in your fan base.

 

[LadyVol1908]

I think it will be a fight for this LadyVols team to make the NCAA Tournament and they could wind up in the Women's NIT Tournament.

Yikes, read the room!

 

[Gilmore]

Prayers and well wishes to Tamari and her family. Grateful it was discovered but heartbroken for her. Explains so much, including why Kellie seemed to be fighting emotions during her presser. Hope we can rally around this team in a positive manner!

 

[Darth_Vol]

Yikes! Really glad they were finally able to diagnose the issue before it got worse, and very relieved to hear they expect her to make a full recovery...

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Yikes! Really glad they were finally able to diagnose the issue before it got worse, and very relieved to hear they expect her to make a full recovery...

What? You're not gonna show us your meme with someone waving and saying "Bye-bye" like you did with Emily?

 

[chuckiepoo]

What? You're not gonna show us you meme with someone waving and saying "Bye-bye" like you did with Emily?

…

 

[Lucy]

My heart dropped when I heard this news. This could so easily ended in tragedy. That child kept trying so hard to get up and down the court and play with energy when she must have felt awful.
Prayers for TK absolutely but let’s not forget her parents. Can you imagine the terror you would feel if you found out your kid had been playing high level sports with such a dangerous condition!
The other day someone on here mentioned TK looked winded getting up and down the court and for a split second I thought of Trey but what are the chances one school would have two top athletes with such an odd condition. I hope Trey reaches out to TK just to encourage her and remind her that totally recovery is out there for her and if she still wants to pursue BB that’s very possible.
She is such a great person, great things out there for her!!

 

[Lucy]

Calling your fanbase "insignificant" is a bit under the bottom , maybe she meant "these people don't know ". She's doing the same thing the people she's criticizing did.

No, she is referring to those people who were criticizing TK. Not the fanbase.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

No, she is referring to those people who were criticizing TK. Not the fanbase.

Aren't they part of the Fanbase?