Nuggets’ Christian Braun chooses playing over coaching, rules Roundball Classic

Christian Braun’s original plan was to rest his body after a long NBA season and serve as one of the 15 celebrity coaches for the 16th-annual Rock Chalk Roundball Classic held Thursday night at Free State High’s gym.

The second-year member of the Denver Nuggets/starter on Kansas’ 2022 NCAA title team had a change of heart after entering the facility and noticing the stands were packed a full hour before tip.

“I went out there, saw everybody’s faces and wanted to get out there and play a little bit,” he said, wanting to run the court with former Jayhawks/current NBA players Ochai Agbaji (Toronto Raptors) Jalen Wilson (Brooklyn Nets) and Devonté Graham (San Antonio Spurs), who were all eager to put on a show.

“Jalen needed a little bit of help out there,” Braun added with a smile, needling his 2022 NCAA title teammate and good friend Wilson.

The fans were thankful the 23-year-old Braun elected to participate in the actual game rather than assist winning Red Team coach/former NBA center Greg Ostertag. Gradey Dick of the Toronto Raptors was head coach of the Blue squad.

Braun scored a game-high 24 points, converting an assortment of rim-rattling slam dunks as well as a shot just past halfcourt that swished just in time to beat the halftime buzzer.

Wilson hit four 3s, good for 12 points, as the Braun-Wilson-led Red Team upended the Agbaji-Graham-led Blue squad 116-101.

“Me and Jalen came in this coming out to win,” Braun said. “(At) halftime we were down (by six after trailing by as many as 17 points). We came together as a team and decided we were going to win it.”

Of his halfcourt shot good for 3, Braun, who gave his shirt and shoes away to youngsters after the game said, grinning: “Devonté couldn’t do it, so I had to do it.”

Graham — he missed a halfcourt 3 or two — did convert five 3s and scored 19 points for the losing Blue team. Agbaji hit a pair of 3s en route to 20 points. Also, big man Silvio De Sousa had 23 points off a varied assortment of dunks, Tyrel Reed had 17 points and Chris Teahan added 11 points all for the losing Blue Team.

The Red Team had seven players score in double figures. Braun (24) and Wilson (12) were joined by Brandon Rush (six 3s, 18 points), Mitch Lightfoot (14), Malik Newman (12) and Jeff Graves (11). Kylee Kopatich, a former standout on KU’s women’s team, swished four 3s, good for 12 points.

“I was told to go in and if I didn’t shoot I was going to stay in until I had to shoot,” Kopatich, a fourth-grade teacher in the Blue Valley district who played at KU from 2015 to 2019, said after her team’s victory.

“It was really cool. I grew up watching Sherron Collins and after leaving school watching Christian Braun. It’s a surreal moment being incorporated and included with these amazing Jayhawks,” she added.

Of Braun, a 6-foot-6, 23-year-old graduate of Blue Valley Northwest, Kopatich said: “He has so much athletic ability and tonight it showed. There were so many NBA players. ... Any time they have a basketball in their hands it’s going to be competitive.”

Pro players on hand who served as coaches were Dick and Udoka Azubuike from the NBA and David McCormack (Turkey).

Agbaji, a 6-5, 24-year-old second-year pro out of Oak Park High, was not pleased to come out on the losing end. He played hard and was even seen going into his defensive stance more than once in the alumni exhibition game.

“I was just trying to get easy baskets. We should have won that game, honestly,” Agbaji said with a smile. “I am kind of ticked we lost, but it was a good deal. When we step back on the court with each other ... it’s the feeling you had back (when you were) competing against each other.”

Agbaji said he was thrilled to participate and help raise money for families of children fighting cancer.

“Seeing the kids’ faces makes it all worthwhile. Seeing all the guys and all the fans ... we feel that love,” Agbaji said. “It’s a brotherhood here whether it’s with the guys you played with or the other alums. It’s lifelong.”

BLUE (101)

Silvio De Sousa 23, Ochai Agbaji 20, Devonté Graham 19, Tyrel Reed 17, Chris Teahan 11, Travis Releford 5, Aqib Talib 2, Parker Braun 2, Charlie Graham 2.

RED (116)

Christian Braun 24, Brandon Rush 18, Mitch Lightfoot 14, Jalen Wilson 12, Kylee Kopatich 12, Malik Newman 12, Jeff Graves 11, Sherron Collins 9, Julian Wright 4.

Three-point baskets: Blue 17: Graham 5, Reed 5, Teahan 3, Agbaji 2, Releford 1, De Sousa 1. Red 23: Rush 6, Kopatich 4, Wilson 4, Newman 4, Collins 3, Braun 2.