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Christian Braun Gives Simple Answer on How to Fix Kansas Basketball

Originally posted on Heartland College Sports
By Joe Tillery | Last updated Feb 2, 2025 12:28 PM ET

Kansas Basketball has lost the allure of what it once was and now finds itself in a bad spot in 2024-25. KU lost to Baylor on Saturday, blowing a double-digit lead and is now 6-4 in league play.

Following the disappointing showing in 2023-24, legendary head coach Bill Self vowed to change things this year. Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, that has not been the case, and Kansas is struggling again in the Big 12.

One individual who has been incredibly vocal about Kansas’ struggles this season is former Jayhawk turned NBA star Christian Braun. He took to Twitter to discuss the situation and chimed in with a solution to fix the mediocrity.

When asked by Kansas Insider Mike Vernon what the solution to the problem was, Braun responded, “Play the guys who care about having KANSAS across their chest.”

Play the guys who care about having KANSAS across their chest https://t.co/tgqIgLWKKy
— Christian Braun (@Ballin25Braun) February 2, 2025

In the rapidly changing era of modern athletics, Braun’s statement rings true for a multitude of programs. With NIL money growing at an alarming rate, the transfer portal has become both a tool for improvement and a pathway toward a program in limbo with athletes who refuse to buy in.

Kansas appears to be a team dealing with the downside of the portal. They added big-name players like Zeke Mayo, AJ Storr, and Rylan Griffen, but the trio has not quite been on the same page in Lawrence yet. Mayo hit the ground running in his final season of college basketball, averaging 15 points, 4.5 rebounds, and three assists per game, while Storr and Griffen have struggled.

Despite being the No. 4 and No. 27 overall players in the transfer portal, Storr and Griffen are averaging just a combined 13.4 points, 14.6 points less per contest than their previous season total of 28.

While Kansas should still be a lock to make the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the team has dealt with adversity the past two seasons, which leads many to wonder, has Kansas Basketball lost its mystique?

This article first appeared on Heartland College Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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