What does basketball transfer Parker Braun bring to KU Jayhawks? Here are two takes

One of the University of Missouri’s all-time basketball greats, Lisa Sandbothe-Braun, is mother of three individuals who have played hoops at the major college to mid-major level.

Equally proud of Blue Valley Northwest graduates Christian Braun (Kansas, Denver Nuggets), Landon Braun (Omaha freshman-to-be) and Parker Braun, Lisa gives the Jayhawks’ latest signee, Parker, the edge in one important category.

“I always thought he was my most athletic (child). He has a 41 (inch) vertical,” Lisa Braun said of Parker Braun, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward/center who played the last two seasons at Santa Clara of the West Coast Conference after two campaigns at Mizzou. Parker Braun on Tuesday signed scholarship papers to play his super-senior season at KU.

“Dunk the (heck) out of it,” Lisa exclaimed, asked to identify the most crowd-pleasing aspect of Parker’s game.

“He’s great around the basket. He also can shoot the three,” Lisa Braun added of Parker, who heard from 65 schools since entering the NCAA transfer portal on April 25. Included were Arkansas, Villanova, BYU, Saint Louis, Wichita State, Cal, Iona, Kansas City, South Carolina, Southern Illinois, Denver, Grand Canyon, Arizona, Oral Roberts, Montana, Vermont and others.

“He’s a 6-10 guy and has a high basketball IQ. He’s like Christian that way,” added Lisa, the No. 21 all-time leading scorer and third-leading rebounder for Mizzou women’s basketball.

Parker Braun averaged 7.7 points (on 55.3% shooting; 24.6% from three) and 5.8 rebounds a game last season for the Broncos, who went 23-10 overall and 11-5 in WCC play. The team advanced to the NIT, dropping a first-round game against Sam Houston. Braun started all 33 games and averaged 29.3 minutes per outing. He had 66 assists to 77 turnovers with 33 blocks and 15 steals.

“I would agree,” said Ed Fritz, the man who has coached all three Brauns at BV Northwest, when asked if Parker was most athletic of the trio.

“But,” he quickly added, “I don’t know if you saw Christian put the ball behind his back and jump over (Kevin) Durant the other day (in NBA playoffs).”

Fritz continued: “He can jump as well as Christian (and) is powerful, athletic. His timing is great as far as rebounding, blocking shots. Running to the rim, he’s really good.”

Fritz noted that “defensively he will come in and be an addition to what they have. I think he can back up Dickinson (Hunter, 7-foot-1 transfer from Michigan) at the 5 and KJ (Adams, 6-7) at the 4. He can play both.”

KU’s need for a frontcourt player such as Braun became apparent recently when returning backup big men Ernest Udeh and Zuby Ejiofor elected to transfer in response to two-time first-team all-Big Ten selection Dickinson joining KU’s team through the transfer portal.

“With the NIL stuff and the portal, it’s like being a general manager of a team, putting the pieces together,” Fritz said of the job facing KU’s Self, who still has two scholarships left to award to players for the 2023-24 roster.

Indeed, Braun’s mom said talks with KU intensified after the departures of Udeh and Ejiofor were announced last week.

“When the guys left,” Lisa Braun said, “Coach knew how athletic Parker is. He needed a backup big and somebody who could play there (in the frontcourt). Parker had some really good options.

“We are excited as a family, to have him home, playing in that atmosphere. ... I know he has big shoes to fill. I believe in the coaching staff there. Christian will be moving home to work out this summer (after the Western Conference Finals and possibly the NBA Finals) and they’ll be able to (work out together at KU).”

Parker Braun is set to report in June for summer school and drills.

Fritz, who now is head coach at North Kansas City High, noted: “I know for sure he is not on this team because he is Christian’s brother but to help them win. It’s a good feeling to know he’s at a place like KU with the great coaching there and chance to contribute to a national championship team.

“I know he wants an opportunity to have a good role on a really good team. He saw what (Self) did for Christian and wants to be part of it. He’s really excited.”

What will KU fans see from him?

“Parker is his own person,” Fritz said. “He has a lot of traits Christian has. I’ve coached a million kids. Parker is one of my all-time favorites because of how he’s developed and what type of person he is. He is a class act.’

At KU, Parker Braun will be reunited with his longtime friend and KU point guard Dajuan Harris.

“Considering they’ve been playing together since sixth grade, just like Christian … they’re brothers,” Lisa said of Harris, who lived with the Brauns several summers during middle school and high school. “Christian is really excited about them (getting to play together).”

Parker Braun caught a flight Tuesday night to Santa Clara, California, after meeting with KU coach Self in Lawrence. He’ll take part in graduation ceremonies at Santa Clara this weekend. His academic work at KU will be toward an advanced degree.

Braun is looking forward to beginning drills soon in Lawrence.

“I love the opportunity to be on a contending team and a team that will play to win every night,” Parker Braun told Jayhawkslant.com after signing. “My hope is that we go compete for a national championship, which is something I’ve always wanted to be a part of.”

Of choosing KU he said: “I had to make a lot of tough decisions and I had a lot of great options. I had some other places that I was looking at, but obviously, there’s no place like home.

“Honestly, the second coach Self called me I didn’t know how I was going to be able to turn that down,” Braun continued. “We had to get to know him and what they had to offer and hear him out and what he thought. I wanted to hear what the future looked like and what the plan looked like with me in it, but just the more and more I talked to him, it just sounded like and felt like that’s where I wanted to be.”

Parker Braun continued: “I just want to contribute to winning — whatever that may be and whatever that takes. It really comes down to whatever coach Self wants me to do.”