Nuggets snag Christian Braun with 21st overall selection

With the No. 21 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets selected Kansas wing Christian Braun.

Braun is fresh off winning a national championship during his junior season with the Jayhawks. He put up a 12-point, 12-rebound performance in the title game. Never the lead option in college, Braun's focus was instead as a floor-spacer, finishing his Kansas career as a 38% marksman from deep on nearly 350 attempts.

He also showed off his rebounding skills last season, finishing third in the Big 12 in defensive boards. He uses his quick first jump to succeed on the glass, ranking second among all combine participants in the standing vertical leap.

The All-Big 12 second-team selection is unlikely to become a star-level player in the NBA, but his experience playing a complementary role on a championship college team should allow him to play meaningful minutes from Day 1 of his professional career.

Bio

Position: Wing
School: Kansas
College experience: Junior
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 209 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-7
Max vertical: 40 inches

Strengths

• Knockdown spot-up shooter from long distance
• Takes high-quality shots
• Good rebounder for his position
• Excellent leaping ability evident on both ends of the floor
• Able to give effective minutes without needing many touches

Weaknesses

• Doesn't provide much offensive creation
• Often too passive offensively
• Measurables don't lend well to positional versatility on defense