Carl Braun
(1927-2010)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2019
Card Shown:
1957 Topps
Position: SG/PG
Height: 6’5″
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Carl Braun was the first superstar to play for the New York Knicks. He retired as their all-time leading scorer with 10,449 points. Former NBA Commissioner David Stern said that when he was growing up in the 1950s he used to spend hours trying to copy the over-the-head shot that Carl was known for. One of the top guards of the 1950s, Carl teamed up in the Knicks backcourt with Ernie Vandeweghe and Dick McGuire.
Awards and Honors
- Braun played college basketball for Colgate and led them in scoring with 294 points in 1945-46. The Raiders had a 12-6 record that year.
- Carl was an NBA All-Star for five consecutive years from 1953 to 1957.
- Braun was selected All-League twice. He was All-BAA Second Team in 1947-48 and All-NBA Second Team in 1953-54.
- Carl, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, and Harry Gallatin helped the Knicks to the Eastern Division championship in 1953. In the NBA Finals the Knicks lost in five games to a star-studded Minneapolis Lakers team that included George Mikan, Jim Pollard, Vern Mikkelsen, and Slater Martin.
- In the last year of his NBA career, 1961-62, Braun won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics while serving as a backup for Bob Cousy. Carl played for the New York Knicks in twelve of his thirteen years in the league.
Points of Interest
- Carl pitched in the New York Yankees organization in 1947-48 but arm problems ultimately ended that career path.
- After playing in the BAA and the NBA for three years with the Knicks, Carl missed the 1950-51 and 1951-52 seasons because he was serving in the military with the U.S. Army.
- Braun led the Knicks in scoring during his first seven seasons with the team. His highest scoring season was in 1957-58 when he averaged 16.5 points per game. For his career, Carl averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
- Carl served as a player-coach for the Knicks for part of the 1959-60 season and all of the 1960-61 season.
- After learning of his Hall of Fame selection, Braun’s wife Joan said that Carl loved the game of basketball so much that he would have payed the Knicks to play.
Statistics
Carl Braun Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com
Carl Braun Videos
The video below shows ten minutes of silent footage between the Knicks and the Nationals on December 1, 1961. The Knicks are in the dark uniforms and Carl Braun is #4. This is an opportunity to see early 1960s basketball, including underhand free throws.