Entering the NBA as a young prospect can be overwhelming, and sometimes lessons are learned the hard way. This was the case for Denver Nuggets rookie guard Christian Braun, who shared one of his “welcome to the NBA” moments on the Rock Chalk Unplugged podcast.
Braun recounted how he was having the time of his life, getting ready for his first season in the NBA, when he saw a piece of paper on his chair. He was perplexed to discover that the Nuggets were fining him $15,000 before he even received his first paycheck.
Braun had made the wrong decision to park in Nuggets governor Stan Kroenke’s reserved parking spots. The three spots he parked in were all executive spots, and the fine was $5,000 for each of them.
Damn look how fast Christian Braun moves here. He’s literally going from one end to the other 🤯 he is fr goated 🙏🏽🐐 pic.twitter.com/aKPM9HAQU4
— Tatiana (@Tatianaclinares) May 10, 2023
While $15,000 may not be a huge amount for Christian Braun now, he was stunned to receive the fine before even receiving his first paycheck. He couldn’t believe that he had to pony up $15,000 for a parking violation.
Christian Braun then called Morgan Montgomery, the Nuggets’ Basketball Operations Coordinator/Player Programs. He told her that he couldn’t afford to pay the fine. Morgan informed him that the money comes straight out of his account, to which he replied with colorful language that he was not going to pay that amount.
The incident was an expensive lesson learned for Christian Braun, who reflected on the struggles of entering the NBA. He knew that the transition from being a student-athlete to becoming one of the highest-earning individuals on the planet was not always seamless.
Braun’s story serves as a reminder that sometimes it’s the little things that can have big consequences, and young NBA players must always be mindful of their actions.
Despite his parking violation fee, Christian Braun remains focused on his career with the Nuggets and hopes to continue his strong play. With his talent and determination, he will undoubtedly go far in the NBA, but it’s essential to remember the lessons learned along the way.
Christian Braun: From High School to NBA
Christian Nicholas Braun, born on April 17, 2001, is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at the University of Kansas and was a starter on the team that won the 2022 NCAA Championship¹.
Braun played basketball for Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas. As a senior, he averaged 27.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, leading his team to a third straight Class 6A state title¹. He was named Mr. Kansas Basketball and Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year.
As a freshman at Kansas, Braun averaged 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, earning Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors. On November 27, 2020, he recorded a career-high 30 points, nine rebounds and four steals in a win over Saint Joseph’s. As a sophomore, Braun averaged 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game¹. He was named to the Second Team All-Big 12 as a junior.
In the Final Four against Villanova, he became the 65th player to reach 1,000 points for Kansas¹. In the championship game against North Carolina Tar Heels, he had 12 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. On April 24, 2022, Braun declared for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility. On May 25, he confirmed he would remain in the NBA draft and forego his senior season.
