Christian Braun.Photo:Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Christian Braun #0 of the Denver Nuggets poses for a portrait with the Larry O’Brien Trophy after winning Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Christian Braun is on fire!

TheDenver Nuggetsrookie is celebrating his first NBA Championship this week, just one year after he and theKansas Jayhawkswon the NCAA Men’s National Championship.And the titles don’t stop there: Braun, 22, won three consecutive state championships playing for the Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland, Kansas during his sophomore, junior, and senior years.

The secret is simple, really: “Winning is obviously more fun,” the Nuggets shooting guard told reporters who asked about his historic run of winning during the NBA Finals.

Christian Braun.Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Christian Braun #2 of the Kansas Jayhawks celebrates with the trophy in the locker room after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels to win the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament National Championship game

Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Christian Braun.Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Christian Braun #2 of the Kansas Jayhawks poses for a photo with the championship trophy after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 72-69 during the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament National Championship

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The former “Mr. Kansas Basketball” honoree has even been honored with his own “Christian Braun Day” at his old high school, where he led the Huskies with nearly 30 points per game.

As a college player at Kansas, the budding star eclipsed the elusive 1,000-point mark in his three years with the Jayhawks, helping his team win the 2022 NCAA title before the Nuggets selected him 21st overall in last year’s NBA Draft.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Braun proved to be one of the final pieces of the puzzle for Denver, who have contended for titles in recent years with the rise of dynamic duo Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.Braun came off the bench for Denver during the regular season, but saved his best for when it mattered most. In Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Braun went seven-for-eight shooting and dropped 15 clutch points on the Miami Heat.

Christian Braun #2 of the Kansas Jayhawks reacts after making a three-pointer during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs

After that game, Jokic credited Braun for the team’s victory. “He won us the game,” the NBA MVPsaid, according to NBC Sports. After that critical Game 3, the Nuggets never looked back, winning the last three games of the series to become champions for the first time in the franchise’s 47-year history.

“I couldn’t have imagined a better spot to be in,” Braunsaiddays before the finals began. “I’m blessed to have two years in a row playing at the highest level and winning at the highest level.”

source: people.com