Former KU guard Christian Braun reaches lucrative extension with NBA’s Nuggets
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Braun agreed to a five-year, $125 million extension to remain with Nuggets.
- He averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and led NBA in fast-break points last season.
- Nuggets prioritized locking Braun into franchise core; regular season opens Thursday.
Former University of Kansas basketball guard Christian Braun has agreed to a five-year, $125 million rookie contract extension with the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, Braun’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, told ESPN on Monday afternoon.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound former Blue Valley Northwest standout was the No. 21 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft after playing three seasons at KU. He was a starter on the Jayhawks’ 2022 NCAA title team, then in his rookie season helped the Nuggets claim the NBA crown. That was after winning three straight state titles in high school.
Braun, 24, was about to begin the final year of a four-year contract that paid him $3,089,640 in 2024-25. The club was to pay him $4,921,797 in 2025-26 prior to negotiating the extension. Monday was the deadline to reach rookie extensions with players.
“The Nuggets’ top executives, Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace, made it a priority to negotiate a new long-term deal to lock in Braun as part of the franchise’s core moving forward,” wrote Shams Charania of ESPN.
Braun as a full-time starter averaged 15.4 points last season, up from 7.3 points in 2023-24. He finished fourth in the league’s Most Improved Player voting.
He averaged 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game a year ago. He hit 39.7% of his 3s over 79 games (77 starts). According to ESPN, he was one of five players to average at least 15 points and five rebounds while shooting 58% from the field and the only non-center on that list.
Also according to ESPN research, he led the NBA in total fast-break points last season He became the first player with at least 400 fast-break points in a season since Buddy Hield in 2018-19.
The Nuggets lost in seven games to Oklahoma City in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs in 2024-25 after losing in the second round to Minnesota to conclude the 2023-24 season. Braun scored 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting (2-of-9 from 3) with four rebounds, three assists and two turnovers in 33 minutes in Game 7 vs. the Thunder.
Braun scored 23 points with 11 rebounds during a Game 6 win over OKC. He had 17 points in a Game 4 loss. In the first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers, which Denver won 4-3, Braun had 21 points, five rebounds and four assists in a Game 7 win.
According to SI.com, nine players agreed to rookie contract extensions before Braun on Monday. Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in 2022, signed an extension for five years and $240 million. Orlando’s Paolo Banchero agreed to a five-year, $239 million extension.
The Nuggets begin the regular season Thursday versus Golden State.
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 2:49 PM with the headline "Former KU guard Christian Braun reaches lucrative extension with NBA’s Nuggets."
