KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee women's basketball star forward Tamari Key is working her way to a comeback this season, but every comeback story begins with heartbreak.
"It was hard realizing this is my senior year and I won't be able to play. We had a really good team and I won't be able to contribute to that," Key said.
The former All-SEC honoree had her 2022-2023 season cut short just nine games in after doctors discovered blood clots in her lungs during testing.
"I pulled myself out by just staying positive and being thankful that they caught it because I could've died if they didn't," she said.
The fifth-year player also found comfort in the fact that she wouldn't have to be alone on the road back to full health.
"We have a great support team here, coaches, my teammates, I could lean on them," Key said. "Every little thing I did was so exciting for everybody, so that was cool."
Key said the process comes with speed bumps, and she can't just snap her fingers and be back to 100%, but the process has taught her to be patient and grateful that she has the opportunity to come back.
"It's been hard trying to get back in, but it's been a lot of fun," Key said. "I wouldn't trade it for the world, I'm so glad to be back."
Her Tennessee teammates, like fellow forward Jillian Hollingshead, are just as excited to see Key healthy and back on the court.
"When you have TK down there in the post, I mean nothing can go wrong honestly," Hollingshead said.
The Tennessee all-time blocks leader said she had a huge block in a recent practice, and it snapped for her that the comeback might become a reality in no time at all.
"That was like, 'Okay, everything is fine. You're going to be fine,'" Key said.