Beloved Kansas Jayhawk Christian Braun sports Gonzaga jersey to game after losing a bet

Very few Kansas basketball players have endeared themselves to the Jayhawk fanbase as deeply as Christian Braun, the Overland Park native who spent three years at KU and contributed to the national championship-winning team in 2022. His animated on-court expressions, passion for the game, and ability to come up in big moments were unmatched.

Braun won an NBA Finals ring as a rookie with the Denver Nuggets and is having an even better year in 2023-24. Through 72 games, he is averaging 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists off the bench on 46.7% shooting. He is a key role player for the top-seeded squad in the Western Conference.

While he now plays in the pros, Braun and his support for the Jayhawks is outspoken on social media. The former KU star made a bet with Nuggets teammate Julian Strawther, a rookie who played at Gonzaga and enjoyed a successful career with the Bulldogs, about the Round of 32 matchup between the two schools over the weekend.

As we all know by now, Kansas did not come out victorious in that game. A second-half run led the Zags to a 21-point victory, effectively ending KU's season. To honor his bet, Braun had to wear a Gonzaga jersey to Denver's game on Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies. This is your last chance to look away, Jayhawks fans.

Seeing Braun in anything but a Kansas jersey feels wrong after his extensive career at KU. But wearing the Gonzaga jersey might have given "CB" some extra luck, as he posted 17 efficient points on 8-for-10 field goal shooting in a 25-point win. He grabbed five rebounds and hit one 3-pointer in the outing.

While Kansas lost and Braun lost his end of the bet, he stayed true to it and played along. At the end of the day, Braun won a ring at the collegiate level, an accomplishment Strawther nor any of his teammates can boast.