Christian Braun had rarely dealt with extended injury absences dating back to his time at Kansas Jayhawks and throughout his first three seasons with the Denver Nuggets, which made his long layoff this year especially notable.
What was initially described as a left ankle sprain in November ultimately kept him out for seven weeks, a timeline that raised questions given his reputation for durability.
Braun clarified the severity of the injury in a conversation with Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, explaining that the damage went well beyond a routine sprain.
“The ligaments in my ankle were ripped,” the player said, adding that the extent of the injury dictated a much slower recovery process.
He detailed how he spent the first three weeks in a walking boot, followed by time on crutches that left him unable to walk, forcing him to rebuild strength almost from scratch.
That process, Braun acknowledged, is still ongoing.
“I had to get all that strength back,” he said, noting that regaining full functionality hasn’t been immediate.
He admitted that the ankle remains a work in progress, a reality that has been evident even as he’s returned to game action and worked his way back toward full form.
Fourth-year forward Peyton Watson has been boosting his value ahead of restricted free agency in the summer and it will be tricky for the Nuggets to match a potential offer sheet. That + more notes on the Nuggets. https://t.co/q38Kscgaad
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 10, 2026
