Kyle Palmer  - JoCo Notes

JoCo Notes: Blue Valley product Christian Braun shines in NBA Finals

Former Blue Valley Northwest basketball star Christian Braun had his biggest game of the NBA postseason on Wednesday in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, scoring 15 points. Screenshot image via Twitter.

Happy Thursday, Blue Valley!

🌤 Today’s forecast: Mostly sunny with a slight chance for thunderstorms in the morning. High: 84. Low: 62.

🚨 One thing you need to know

Former Blue Valley Northwest and KU basketball star Christian Braun took his game to a new level Wednesday night.

Braun scored 15 points for the Denver Nuggets in a 109-94 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. It was a key supporting performance that helped give the Nuggets a 2-1 series lead on the road.

The one-time high school Mr. Kansas Basketball averaged nearly 5 points per game as a rookie this season but caught fire off the bench on Wednesday, hitting seven of eight shots and showcasing his skills at several key moments, including this steal and fast break dunk.

Two wins away from an NBA championship with Denver, Braun is trying to pull off a unique feat.

If the Nuggets take home the trophy, Braun would be just the fifth player ever to win a college championship — which he did with KU in 2022 — and an NBA title in back-to-back seasons.

Braun also helped lead BV Northwest to three state titles during his high school career.

🗓 Public meetings Thursday

  • Board of County Commissioners, 9:30 a.m. [View agenda]
  • Johnson County Library Board, 4 p.m. [More info]

🚀 Post’s top Wednesday stories

  1. 🥳 Best of Johnson County 2023: And the finalists are…
  2. Overland Park teacher’s ‘Ted Lasso’ merch keeps selling big as popular series ends
  3. McLain’s Market coming soon to southern Overland Park
  4. AMF College Lanes in Overland Park is now remodeled Bowlero
  5. Rating agency puts Aspiria project loan on ‘downgrade’ watch

📰 Other local news

  • Olathe will get $18 million in federal funds to build a four-lane overpass over the railroad crossing at Woodland Street and Northgate Road. [Kansas City Star] 
  • Overland Park residents have until Thursday, June 22, to cast ballots in a special mail-in election in which the city is seeking to have a special sales tax for infrastructure needs increased to ⅜-cent. [City of Overland Park]
  • After “crushing” every company record with its new restaurant in Prairie Village, Wichita-based chain Meddys plans to continue its expansion into Kansas City, Mo. [Kansas City Business Journal]

📸 A thousand words

Flowers in bloom at Park Place in Leawood. Photo credit Lucie Krisman.

 

Hi! I'm Kyle Palmer and I'm the editor of the Blue Valley Post and the Shawnee Mission Post.

I believe deeply in the power of local news and strive each day to make our readers feel informed, so they can get the most out of life in this great place we all call home.

Our work is only possible because more than 7,000 Johnson Countians subscribe. To those of you who already support us as subscribers, THANK YOU! If you aren't a subscriber yet, I hope you'll try it out today! Your first month of full access is just $1.

A bit about me and my background:

Prior to joining the Post in 2020, I served as News Director for KCUR. I got my start in journalism at the University of Missouri, where I worked for KBIA, mid-Missouri's NPR affiliate. After college, I spent 10 years as a teacher and went on to get a master's degree in education policy from Stanford University.