It's not always easy to make an impact for a contending team in one's first year in the NBA. But that's exactly what Christian Braun did. Braun, the 21st pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, was a huge part of the Denver Nuggets rotation all season long. And now his (and the entire Nuggets team's) hard work has paid off, as the Nuggets have achieved the pinnacle of team success by winning the 2023 NBA championship – the first ever championship in Nuggets' history. They overcome the pesky Miami Heat 4-1 after a 94-89 Game 5 victory on Monday night.

As a result, Braun etched his name into deep NBA lore, joining the likes of Magic Johnson and Bill Russell, two of the greatest players and winners in NBA history, in an exclusive club. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Nuggets rookie became just the fifth player in NBA history to win an NCAA national title and an NBA championship in consecutive seasons. In addition to joining Johnson and Russell, Braun also joined Billy Thompson and Henry Bibby in that esteemed list of players.

Part of what made the Nuggets so interested in Christian Braun in the first place is that he showed the ability to contribute in multiple facets of the game for a winning team in Kansas. During the 2022 National Championship game, Braun played the entire 40 minutes, tallying 12 points and 12 rebounds while playing his usual brand of strong perimeter defense to help the Jayhawks overcome the North Carolina Tar Heels, 72-69.

Braun simply could not have landed in a much more convenient spot for his skillset. His timing when cutting is incredible, and he is willing to do the dirty work — rebounding, diving on the floor, and moving without the basketball — that greases the wheels of winning. And the Nuggets have benefitted immensely.

The 22-year old guard also had his signature NBA Finals moment. In Game 3 against the Heat, Christian Braun scored 15 points, providing a spark on both ends of the court with his bothersome perimeter defense and shrewd decision-making on offense.

Simply put, Braun should be a fixture of many winning teams for years to come. And with head coach Michael Malone already making plans for a run at another championship, the former Jayhawk should have plenty of opportunities to take center stage once more.