Braier to play pro basketball in Denmark

APPLETON, Wis. -- Former Lawrence University basketball star Chris Braier is taking his game global.

The three-time All-American will play in the Danish Basketliga for BK Amager, which compiled a 16-4 record in the league a season ago.

"It sounds like a great situation," said Braier, who will be leaving for Denmark on Thursday. "It's right in the city of Copenhagen. The team took second place last year, and they have most of the guys back."

The league begins play in early October and the regular season runs into March, with the league playoffs to follow. Amager reached the semifinals of the league playoffs last season. Braier will not be the lone American on the squad, as he will be joined by Joe Smith, who starred at Hamilton (N.Y.) College and was the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year in 2004. Smith played for Amager last season.

The 6-foot-5 Braier, a native of Wauwatosa and former star at Wauwatosa East High School, is the most decorated player in Lawrence basketball history. He won the 2006 Jostens Trophy, which is given to the top NCAA Division III player based on basketball ability, academic excellence, and community service. In addition to the three All-America honors, he was a two-time Midwest Conference Player of the Year and was named first-team all-conference all four years.

He is the only player in Midwest Conference history to compile 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Braier also is Lawrence's career leader in scoring (1,565) and rebounding (1,267). During the 2005-06 season, he led the Vikings at 15.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He also paced the team at 4.3 assists per game and was second at 1.9 steals per contest.

Braier has been working with German sports agent Kim Rasmussen since May, and that led to this opportunity.

"He's been searching around Europe for jobs. There were five or six teams that were interested," said Braier, adding that he also received an offer from a team in Romania before deciding to sign with Amager. "After talking to the coach and seeing where I would play, it just worked out well."

Braier, who earned a bachelor's degree in biology and was named an Academic All-American in 2006, had been keeping his options open by applying for jobs and looking at law schools.

"I knew if I tried to get something else, something good would happen in the long run," Braier said. "For a while there was nothing at all, and then it came out of the blue."

His salary will not be in the range of your average NBA superstar, and Braier is quick to point out this is not about the money.

"It's something I have to do," Braier said. "It's more about the experience."