Christian Braun: A Rookie’s Impressive Performance in the NBA Championship Game

In the past 20 years, only 4 rookies in the NBA can score more than 15 points (inclusive) in the championship game. Christian Braun, who played the Raiders earlier, scored 15 points and 4 rebounds with a high efficiency of 7 of 8 shots in 19 minutes.

Braun is not just good-looking book data, but has really helped the team. He cut into the penalty area to attack the basket several times, and through excellent timing to cut in empty-handed, he broke through the Heat’s signature zone defense. When defending, he can also patiently read the players’ running positions to make correct judgments. It is not easy for Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo to hand-in-hand to create a gap. He is as experienced as a senior player who has played for more than 10 years.

“It’s so impressive. As a young rookie, he is very calm and calm at this moment, which is perfect for us.” KCP, who has been teammates with countless stars and won championship rings, also So much praise for Braun.

Spread out Braun’s basketball resume, you will find that he has won 3 state championship trophies and 1 NCAA championship before entering the NBA.

“Christian has been proving himself all year,” Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said. “He’s been in our rotation for 18 playoff games, and there are very few rookies who can get playing time at this time, which shows that he is a winner. He has won at many levels. Now he’s in the NBA Finals as a rookie. He’s ready mentally, physically and mentally.”

As Malone said, Braun has always been a winner. In last year’s NCAA championship game, he grabbed the team’s most 12 rebounds as a guard, which shows that he won so many honors not just because of luck.

So, why is Christian Braun able to show his performance on the big stage and win the final victory?

Perhaps, it has something to do with his uniqueness.

Rivals and role models

According to Braun’s mother Lisa, Braun was very competitive from a very young age. As the second oldest child in the family, he often competed with his older siblings. Every day in front of the garage at home, the three brothers would go through a fight. It is their routine to use basketball to play 1-on-1. The three-point line on the ground was drawn by their father Donny.

“I have to give it all to his aggressiveness,” joked older brother Parker as Braun won the tournament.

This habit, developed since childhood, also made the young Braun have a hero to worship, that is the most famous basketball player in town, Tyrel Reed. When Reed was still in high school here, his sister worked as a nanny at Braun’s home, so Reed would often come here to play with the three brothers, including basketball of course.

“His parents are tall (Donny is 6-foot-8 and Lisa is 6-foot-1, both of whom played varsity basketball), so I thought, these kids will be big in the future.” Reed laughs speak.

When Reed averaged 26.4 points per game in his senior year, he was selected as Mr. Basketball in Kansas State and won the Gatorade Player of the Year. Braun, who was only 5 years old, sat on the sidelines of Burlington High School and determined to become a player like Reed. Excellent player.

“Tyrel is a great role model for the kids, not just on the court, but off the court as well,” Donny said. “His story can inspire those Kansas town kids that their dreams are possible.”

And Christian Braun, is the kid who made his dream come true.

who are you

Before entering high school, Braun was only 5 feet 8 inches, but with his excellent basketball IQ and sense of court space, he served as the team’s guard. During the summer vacation when he entered high school, his parents Decided to move from Burlington to Overland Park, where Braun can join a 6A team and compete with higher intensity opponents.

Four years later, Braun, who has grown to 6 feet 7 inches and has ball-handling skills, has become the most eye-catching presence on the team. He averaged 27.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in his senior season, making him the Gatorade player of the year. (Just like Reed more than a decade ago), and led the team to win the state championship for three consecutive years.

Braun won a lot of attention and awards in Overland Park, and his achievements here also allowed Braun to receive scholarships from many NCAA prestigious schools. However, when someone asked him where he was from, he would not hesitate to mention Burlington, because he is In this small town of 2,500 people, extraordinary perseverance has been cultivated.