The University of Kansas is well represented in the NBA playoffs. Seven former Jayhawks will play in this year’s postseason, each vying for an NBA championship. Let’s take a look at how they got there and who could come out with a ring. 

Christian Braun 

The only former Jayhawk with a chance to become a multiple-time champion this year is Christian Braun. The 2022 NCAA champ is coming off a breakout year that earned him an extension worth $125 million. Braun was unable to build off his momentum this year due to injuries to his ankle. Braun missed 38 games this season. Despite being out for long stretches and a poor first half of the season, Braun still averaged 12 points per game with 4.8 rebounds per game. Those numbers are down from last year, but Braun has been better recently with increased production on higher efficiency since the all-star break. 

Getting Braun back for the postseason is a big help for the Nuggets. Braun is the starting shooting guard and best perimeter defender. What makes Braun such an integral piece for Denver is the chemistry he’s built with three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Braun excels off cuts and in transition, which plays well with the season assist leader Jokić. The Nuggets are the third seed in the Western Conference and will be up against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A key decider in that series will be Braun’s defense against all-star Anthony Edwards. With a healthy Braun and superstars Jokić and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets have a chance to emerge from a loaded west. If I had to pick a Jayhawk to win a championship, I’d choose Braun. 

Gradey Dick 

This year was a struggle for Dick, but I think the optics are better than they look. Dick averaged career lows in points, rebounds, and assists per game. He went from averaging 14.4 points per game last year to just 6.0 this season. But this may not be entirely to blame on poor play. The Raptors traded for all-star Brandon Ingram last year at the trade deadline, resulting in a sharp decrease in Dick’s opportunities. Dick was given more freedom last year for a worse team. With Ingram and RJ Barrett having cemented themselves as the starting wings for Toronto, Dick was stuck as a bench piece this entire season. What will be integral for Dick’s career to take off will be his development as a shooter. Dick was an incredible 3-point shooter at Kansas. Pairing that with his 6-foot-7-inch frame made Dick an easy lottery pick. But in the pros, Dick has never even been an average shooter from distance. What has caused this struggle I have no idea, but developing as a shooter will be essential for Dick’s career. Dick is also entering the final year of his rookie contract, his draft pedigree and youth could make him an enticing trade candidate this offseason. A change of scenery could be exactly what he needs. 

Dick’s Raptors are the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and will matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. I do not like their chances in this series. After being one of the best teams in the NBA for the first 25 games, the Raptors have come down and only been mediocre for most of the season. Maybe this will be an opportunity for Dick to break out. It would be the perfect opportunity for him to undo what’s been a lost season. 

Joel Embiid

This was a season reminiscent of an old Embiid, and it also brought the same injury frustrations that have plagued his career. After a nightmarish 2024-2025 season, Embiid was much better this year. He played double the games, just 38, but we’ll take what we can get. In those games he averaged 26.9 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 3.9 assists per game. Embiid was brilliant when he did play, and only got better as the season went along. But that momentum was halted on April 9, when Embiid had an emergency appendectomy right before the start of the playoffs. 

Embiid’s 76ers will match up against the Boston Celtics in the first round after beating the Orlando Magic in the Play-In. Embiid will most likely miss multiple games, if not all, of that series as he recovers from surgery. 

More on Embiid’s season here.

Quentin Grimes 

The former Jayhawk and Houston Cougar is the second 76er on this list. The Sixers are Grimes’ fourth team. Grimes was traded to Philadelphia at last season’s deadline and immediately played the best basketball of his career. Grimes averaged 21.9 points per game for a tanking team. Grimes came back this year to form one of the best guard trio’s in the league with Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe. Grimes averaged 13.4 points per game off the bench and is one of the better 6th men in the league. Grimes is an upcoming free agent after the season and will be a popular commodity on the market.

For their matchup with the Celtics, Philadelphia will have to rely on their deep backcourt while their star player is on the mend. Grimes will be integral to the upset bid. 

Kevin McCullar Jr. 

Kevin McCullar saw the court more this season than in his rookie year. The second-year wing averaged 2.4 points per game in spot-minutes. McCullar appeared in 21 games this season compared to just four as a rookie. He also spent a vast majority of the year out of the G League, only appearing in a few games. McCullar is a reserve for the New York Knicks and provides good defense in certain situations. 

McCullar’s Knicks are the three seed in the east and face off against the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks are favored in the series, but the Hawks are one of the hottest teams in the league and can push New York to their limit. McCullar may appear in a game or two, but will not have a large impact on the series. 

Kelly Oubre Jr. 

Oubre is the third Sixer on this list and has found a team to get the best out of him, like Grimes. Oubre also played for a handful of teams before arriving in Philadelphia. Oubre had been at 20 ppg in a previous stop in Charlotte, but teams did not want him. His style of play was not impactful towards winning, which is why he played for four teams in his first eight years despite being very talented. Oubre signed with Philadelphia right before the 2023-2024 season on a cheap deal. Ever since, Oubre has reinvigorated his career and become a very good role player. Oubre’s offensive rating has risen every year for the past three seasons and this year had a career-high in win shares per 48 minutes. Oubre averaged 14.1 points per game with 5.0 rebounds, being a consistent presence on a team with limited wing depth. 

In the upcoming series, Oubre will be the primary defender on superstar Jayson Taytum. Boston is a team led by their wings, so Oubre will have his work cut out for him. The Sixers chances of prevailing in this series are slim, contributions from all Jayhawks are needed for an upset to happen.

Andrew Wiggins 

Andrew Wiggins wrapped up his 12th season in the NBA this year. The former first-overall pick averaged 15.4 points per game with 4.8 rebounds per game. His scoring was down this season, but Wiggins was still an impactful starter. Wiggins has shifted into a 3&D weapon ever since leaving Minnesota in 2020. He’s not at the level he was when he won the championship in 2022, but nonetheless he is still an elite role player. Wiggins doesn’t have the handles or vision required to be a primary creator in the NBA, but can create his own offense enough to separate him from other role players. 

Wiggins’ Heat have already been eliminated from playoff contention. They were dropped by Charlotte in a back-breaking one-point loss, but Wiggins did his best to keep the Heat alive. The 30-year-old scored 27 points and added seven boards. Wiggins also has the option to enter free agency this offseason, but I find it unlikely he will. Wiggins has a $30.2 million player option available. The odds that number is available to him this summer are slim. I expect Wiggins to return to the Heat. If he does, he would also be an intriguing trade candidate.

All stats via Basketball Reference.