Author: Monojit Mandal
Christian Braun’s incredible journey over the last 14 months has been nothing short of amazing. Braun has left his mark on basketball history, from winning the NCAA men’s basketball national championship with the Kansas Jayhawks in a dramatic upset, to being picked by the Denver-Nuggets and now helping the team win its first NBA title.
Braun, 22, was instrumental in the Jayhawks’ success on April 4, 2022, recording a double-double and assisting in the biggest comeback victory in league history. This exceptional performance piqued the interest of the Denver Nuggets, who chose Braun with the 21st overall pick in the NBA drafts later that summer.
Almost a year later, Braun was instrumental in the Nuggets’ triumph in Game 3 against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. Despite his low individual numbers of 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 81.6 total minutes, Braun’s efforts were essential to the team’s victory.
Notably, Braun’s championship glory with the Nuggets elevated him to the ranks of an exclusive group of NBA players. He became only the sixth player in NBA history to win the NBA and NCAA championships in the same season.
To put Braun’s achievement in context, consider the other players who have accomplished this unusual feat. Bill Russell, who won two consecutive NCAA championships with San Francisco before joining the Boston Celtics and winning 11 NBA titles during his career, tops the list.
Henry-Bibby, who won three NCAA championships at UCLA, was an NBA champion with the New York Knicks. Another basketball legend, Magic-Johnson, won an NCAA championship at Michigan-State before leading the Los Angeles-Lakers to 5 NBA titles. Finally, Billy Thompson, who won an NCAA championship at Louisville, joined the Lakers during the championship.
Braun can rejoice in joining this select company of basketball icons while basking in the glory of his achievement. His journey from college to the pros, culminating in an NBA championship, is an inspiration to young sportspeople all over the world. Christian Braun has firmly established himself as a rising star in the basketball world due to his talent and motivation.