Former Kansas Basketball Star Christian Braun Earns Massive Deal with Denver Nuggets

Former Kansas basketball guard and 2022 NCAA champion Christian Braun received some big news on Monday as it was announced by ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania that he and the Denver Nuggets have agreed to a five-year, $125 million rookie contract extension with the franchise. The news was shared with ESPN by Braun’s agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball.

It’s Braun’s first big pay day as a professional athlete since being drafted by the Nuggets in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft with the No. 21 pick overall. He originally signed a fully guaranteed, four-year, $13,769,157 contract as a rookie with the Nuggets in July 2022 which included team options for the third and fourth years.

“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,” said Charania.

Braun has been great for the Nuggets ever since his rookie season when he played a key role in helping the team win its first-ever NBA Championship in 2023 by defeating the Miami Heat 4-1 in the NBA Finals. And by winning the 2023 NBA Championship, Braun became just the fifth player in history to win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years.

Although Braun averaged just 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists during the Finals and only 4.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game during the regular season, he provided a big spark off the bench for the Nuggets – particularly on the defensive end with his aggressiveness and excellent on-ball defense against Miami star Jimmy Butler and others.

Braun’s worked hard to improve his game in all areas over his three seasons with the Nuggets. This past season, he averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 58% from the field and 39.7% from three.

All those numbers are drastic improvements from his rookie year, and he’s now become a key starter alongside NBA stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

While Braun has improved offensively and has provided his share of highlight-reel dunks, it’s his infectious energy and refusal to back down from any opponent that has made him a fan favorite among Nuggets fans and is part of what made him so beloved during his time at KU.

While his national champion counterparts Ochai Agbaji, Jalen Wilson, Dajuan Harris Jr. and David McCormack usually let their play do the talking, Braun could often be found chirping at opponents after a big play or sharing his emotions with the opposing crowd.

He was just that kind of player, but he backed it up too. He’s been a winner everywhere he’s been.

Braun has earned everything he’s achieved in basketball, and this contract extension is just another example of what he’s been able to accomplish thanks to his hard work and dedication to the game he loves.

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun has agreed to a five-year, $125 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/juTdk92le9
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 20, 2025