Mar 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) reacts after making a basket during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Christian Braun’s Reaction to 5-Year Extension Is Exactly What Fans Want To Hear

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Oct 21, 2025 8:50 PM ET

In the 2022 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets took a chance on Christian Braun with the 21st overall pick, as the young guard was coming off a National Championship with the Kansas Jayhawks. The Nuggets have mastered the art of finding gems in the draft, and Braun was no exception.

Last season, Braun burst onto the scene as a true difference-maker, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game with wildly efficient 58.0/39.7/82.7 shooting splits. Braun's performance last season undoubtedly impressed Denver's front office, as they were willing to cough up some extra cash when it came time for his contract extension.

On Monday, the Nuggets and Braun agreed to a five-year extension worth $125 million, keeping him under contract through the 2030-31 season.

CONTRACT: EXTENDED

We’ve signed Christian Braun to a multi-year extension. pic.twitter.com/FxmL3vr3Bf
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 20, 2025

The Nuggets now have their core group of Braun, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic, and Jamal Murray under contract for the next few years, and the 24-year-old guard is excited to be in Denver for the long run.

Braun reacts to massive extension

In his first practice back after signing a huge five-year extension, Braun spoke to the media, and his reaction to the deal is very telling about how he feels about Denver.

"It means the world to me. I think that it's just validation at the end of the day," Braun said. "The people that trusted in me, you know, I got drafted here. I never changed schools or teams in high school. I never changed in college. And I don’t want to change in the NBA. I want to be here. I want to be a big part of winning. I want to be a really big part of what happens here and the success that happens in Denver."

Christian Braun on signing an extension with the Denver Nuggets:

“I got drafted here. I never changed schools or teams in high school. I never changed in college. And I don’t want to change in the NBA” pic.twitter.com/WdizcZ5Fy0
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) October 21, 2025

Braun has made it very clear that he loves it in Denver, and as the team continues to compete for NBA championships, he wants to be a big part of it. Of course, with an average salary of $25 million over five years, Braun is expected to play a huge role in Denver's success, but it is great to hear him admit he wants to have that weight on his shoulders.

"That's always been the biggest thing for me," Braun continued. "It's cool to be a Nugget. I want to be a Nugget for my whole career, but I understand that to do that, we need to win. I think that signing the contract before the season started allows me to focus only on winning. That's what I want to do... I want to win, but I want to win as a Denver Nugget."

With their core group all under contract, especially three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets are set to win another championship after winning their first in franchise history in 2023. At a minimum, the Nuggets will be in championship contention every year, but this team certainly has higher hopes, and fans should be very excited for what's to come.