NBA Future Watch: Christian Braun Basketball Cards, Denver Nuggets – Christian Braun attended Kansas, one of the most storied programs in college basketball. So, it says quite a lot that Braun gets to etch his name, along with fellow 2022 NBA draftee Ochai Agbaji, as one of the very few star players in program history able to carry the Jayhawks to a national championship. And yet, that accolade was far from the first title that Braun was able to bring to a program in the Sunflower State.
Hailing from a huge hardwood family – with his mother, father, aunt, uncle, and brother sporting college basketball experience – Braun delivered three state championships to Blue Valley Northwest High School in suburban Kansas City. Braun also averaged 27.8 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 3.8 APG as a senior. As Mr. Kansas Basketball and Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, Braun was coveted by his home state Jayhawks, and he accepted their scholarship offer.
In a perennially crowded rotation at Kansas, freshmen must fight hard for minutes. As such, it was no surprise that Braun’s first-year honors topped out at the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. Progression on the roster proceeded slowly through Year Two, as Braun advanced from seventh to fifth on the team in FGA.
Then Braun forced his way to the forefront with a breakout junior season. In a unique version of a triple-double, Braun hit double-digits for the number of times that he led the team in a category. He was the leading rebounder in 13 games, leader in assists in 11 games, and leader in blocks in 10 games. Braun’s all-around status manifested itself in several categories: 14.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.8 APG, .495 FG% (second in the Big 12) and .386 3P%.
Braun’s improvement was on full display in the national championship game with 12 points and 12 rebounds and successful defense on Caleb Love’s would-be game-tying three-pointer at the end. The momentum behind Braun led him to the NBA Draft and to Denver with the 21st pick.
As an all-around swingman with ability to space the floor, Braun joins one of the top player-development organizations in the league. Possessing strong defensive switching ability and the ability to defend off-ball, Braun’s instincts on both sides of the ball are strong. Advancement in scoring versatility and aggression, given Braun’s willingness to pass, and further leveraging of his vertical athleticism will be targeted by the Nuggets. This potential Team of the ‘20s, anchored by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, has been hungry to add a third standout to the mix. If Denver can unleash Braun as they have those two, then he will be a made man in the NBA.
NBA Future Watch: Christian Braun Basketball Cards, Denver Nuggets – Stats
Statistical image generated on Sports Reference 8/1/2022
NBA Future Watch: Christian Braun Basketball Cards, Denver Nuggets – More Resources
- Secondary Market Pricing
- Beckett Card Catalog
- NBA.com Player Profile
- 2021-22 Pro Set Power Basketball Cards
- 2021-22 Bowman Chrome University Basketball Cards
- 2022-23 Leaf Draft Basketball Cards
- Christian Braun on Instagram
- Christian Braun on Twitter
NBA Future Watch: Christian Braun Basketball Cards, Denver Nuggets – Image Gallery
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