The most punchable face in the NBA hits back.
“I think there’s always a couple of people that don’t think you can step into that role,” Christian Braun, the Nuggets’ second-year swingman, offered up earlier this week. “But I always end up rising to that occasion.”
Basically, Braun has a message for all the trolls and teleprompter twits who don’t think he’s up for walking a mile in Bruce Brown’s shoes. Know what? You’re right.
He wants to slip on those bad boys Brucey B left behind and sprint up the Manitou Incline at full tilt.
“I want that challenge,” the Nuggets’ breakout rookie and one-time NCAA champion at Kansas said during a promotional appearance with Qdboa in Lakewood. “I want a bigger role and I think everybody wants a bigger role.
“But the fact that the Nuggets show confidence in me and (in) our young guys to come in and take over that role and make that next step means a lot to me. And obviously, I’m going to prove them right.”
Obviously?
“It’s a good challenge and it’s something I’m looking forward to,” Braun said. “And I can’t wait to get out there. You know, it’s always good to take a step up in your role. And I think that my whole career in college, (it was) the same way.”
See that smoke? Braun wants it. Hater smoke. Doubter smoke. Kendrick Perkins smoke. All of it.
Oh yeah, and the rock. Wants that, too.
“I mean, the work has already started (for me), just doing certain things to expand my game, doing certain things to be a better ballhandler, secondary ballhandler,” the 6-foot-6 Kansas native said.
“With Bruce being gone, I’m gonna have more opportunities like that. I think I’m prepared for that. I mean, that’s just part of your whole career — you take a step up there to (get) here.”
The next step is turning the jumper from a hope to a weapon, whether it’s cashing in those no-looks from Nikola Jokic or dropping daggers that keep the second unit’s offense afloat. The ballhandling thing isn’t so much about stepping on the toes of Reggie Jackson and Jalen Pickett as it is giving coach Michael Malone another option in a pinch.
Sort of like you-know-who. Only taller.
“You learn a lot from a guy like (Brown),” Braun said of the former Nuggets sixth man and postseason hero, now a wealthy Indiana Pacer. “I think (Bruce is) a defensive-minded player that ended up playing really well on offense for us.
“I just learned to play hard like that and love (the area). I think (Brown) really stepped into his role and stepped into a new city and fell in love with the city. And I think that that’s why he got all that success.”
The defending NBA champs, on paper, are bringing a more athletic bench to the fight than a year ago. Now whether it turns out to be a better bench depends on the health of the starting five (knocks wood) and the growth of Braun and Peyton Watson.
“I didn’t expect to come in my rookie year and have the ball in my hands all the time. But I do expect, going forward, that I’ll get more and more opportunities,” Braun said.
“So (the work is on) my overall game. Whether it’s catch-and-shoot, whether it’s hitting free throws this year, things like that, just focus on my game. And everybody knows when I get that opportunity, I’m going to play hard on defense, I’m going to get to every play.”
And if you don’t want to take a Jayhawk at his word, then consider Malone’s actions.
The Nuggets coach trusts your typical rookie about as far as he can throw him. Yet since the 2015-16 season, only three newbies have seen more total minutes in their first NBA seasons in Denver than Braun’s 1428 in ’22-23 (regular season and playoffs): Jokic (1,733), Jamal Murray (1,764) and Emmanuel Mudiay (2,068).
As far as rookie playoff minutes under Malone, only Michael Porter Jr. in the ’20 bubble (451) got more run than Braun landed (247) this past spring.
On Chopper Circle, trust isn’t a given.
It’s earned. The hard way.
“I think there’s always people that step into that (larger) role,” Braun said, “but I think I learned a lot from a lot of people last year. And I think I’m ready.”
For better or worse, the road to the NBA Finals runs right through those punchable dimples. The grin on Braun’s face said he wouldn’t have it any other way.
