USA Today names Braun, McBride state POYs, other KU targets earn top national honors

By Matt Tait     Apr 16, 2019

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Christian Braun

Already with all-state and Gatorade Player of the Year honors to their name, KU signees Christian Braun and Issac McBride on Tuesday added another national honor to their resume.

Both players, who signed with KU back in November, were named the player of the year in their state by USA Today.

Braun, who Tweeted in support of 4-star shooting guard Cassius Stanley picking Kansas from his list of four finalists when he announces his decision on Saturday, was joined by Blue Valley Northwest coach Ed Fritz in winning the player and coach of the year honors in Kansas.

Of Braun, the publication wrote: “Braun concluded his prep career as a three-time state champion and Kansas’ Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 27.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Huskies this past season. The future Kansas Jayhawk logged a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) in a 53-41 win over Washburn Rural to give Blue Valley Northwest its third consecutive Class 6A state title.”

Braun was one of three players on the USA Today list of first- and second-team all-state performers who have been tied to KU in recruiting, with guards Caleb Grill (6-3, 185, Class of 2019), of Maize, and Ty Berry (6-3, 170, Class of 2020), of Newton, also earning all-state honors.

McBride was named the player of the year in Arkansas after a monster senior season at Baptist Prep in Little Rock.

Of McBride, the publication wrote: “Named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year, McBride, a Kansas recruit, put up 28.9 points a game, and also averaged 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists.”

As for the top players in the nation, KU target R.J. Hampton, a 2020 point guard from Little Elm, Texas, who is considering reclassifying into the 2019 class, was one of five players named to [USA Today’s first team All-USA High School Boys Basketball squad,][1] while fellow KU targets Matt Hurt, who will announce his decision Friday, Precious Achiuwa and Stanley, landed on the second and third teams.

[1]: https://usatodayhss.com/2019/2018-19-all-usa-high-school-boys-basketball-first-team

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.