Parker Braun gears for KU hoops opener after flushing ‘memorable’ dunk in exhibition
Kansas senior backup big man Parker Braun set a high screen for point guard Dajuan Harris and, after rolling to the basket, caught a lob pass and flushed a highlight-reel dunk during the first half of KU’s 73-55 men’s basketball exhibition victory over Fort Hays State on Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
The 6-foot-10 Braun — who also banked in a 3-pointer during his 10-minute stint off the bench — plans on connecting with KU’s senior floor general on many more alley-oop slams during the 2023-24 regular season, which, for KU, opens Monday night against North Carolina Central.
Tipoff is 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse with a livestream available at Big 12 Now/ESPN+.
“We’ve kind of worked on that since we were younger. It’s an emphasis,” Braun said of corralling passes from his longtime family friend — Columbia, Missouri native Harris — then depositing the basketball forcibly through the goal.
“Dajuan is a great passer, has great vision, is a great ball-handler. So being able to put him in situations where he can play-make and me being able to go up and grab it above the rim is something I want to be there and help him do,” Braun added.
Braun — a Blue Valley Northwest graduate who has played at Missouri and Santa Clara in a six-year college career that will conclude after this season at KU — acknowledged that his first dunk as a Jayhawk in a home game (he didn’t score in seven minutes in KU’s first exhibition at Illinois) “was a pretty memorable one for me. I don’t think I’ll be able to forget that for a while.”
Braun scored five points, grabbed three rebounds and blocked three shots vs. the Tigers. He had no points, one rebound and a steal against Illinois. It appears he will be primary backup big man to 7-foot senior Hunter Dickinson this season.
“I think he will help us,” KU coach Bill Self said of Braun, brother of former KU player and current Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun.
“I still think he can be more aggressive. Parker is a good athlete. That play he made the other night athletically was pretty good. It was a crowded house and he went and got it. I’m exited about Parker.”
Self continued.
“I think he’s a good shooter. I think he can keep defenses honest when he gets a little more comfortable,” Self said. “The biggest thing with him would be defending the paint, protecting the rim. If he gets a little more aggressive doing that I think he can really help us a lot.”
Braun gives KU an experienced big man who is familiar with the Jayhawk system.
“I’ve had a lot of different roles at a lot of different programs. I’ve seen a lot of games, watched a lot of games. I kind of know what the landscape is,” Braun said. “It definitely has helped me where I am at right now, having that experience, being able to be in certain situations, being able to look back to different games or certain practices where things may have come up before. The experience definitely comes in handy.”
He followed KU closely during his brother’s three years in Lawrence.
“Knowing how coach Self is and knowing how Kansas is, I used to come to games when I was a kid. Nothing’s really changed. (Self) has been here throughout my whole life,” Braun said. “I know what it looks like. I kind of know his expectations a little more than (the other newcomers). It gives me a little bit of an advantage.”
Braun — he heard from Arkansas, Villanova, Wichita State and many others after electing to enter the transfer portal last spring — hit hit 109 of 197 shots for 55.3% last season at Santa Clara. He went 14-of-57 from three for 24.6%. He hit 21 of 45 free throws for 46.7%.
Braun started all 33 games and averaged 29.3 minutes per outing. He had 66 assists to 77 turnovers with 33 blocks and 15 steals.
While highlight-reel plays are part of his game, Braun said his biggest strength may be “versatility. I think just playing hard, being able to do whatever coach asks me to do is something I bring to the table. I’ve got great teammates. There are a lot of talented players on this team. We’ve got hard workers and hopefully we can do something great here.”
It all starts Monday with the first game in a long time that counts in the standings. KU has played five exhibition games (three in Puerto Rico in August to go with games vs. Illinois and Fort Hays State) since the end of the 2022-23 season.
“The energy … it has to be there every night,” Braun said. “I hope we’re ready to bring it.”
This story was originally published November 5, 2023 at 9:01 AM with the headline "Parker Braun gears for KU hoops opener after flushing ‘memorable’ dunk in exhibition."
