Alexander Kaun

Alexander Olegovich Kaun (Russian Александр Олегович Каун; born May 8, 1985 in Tomsk, RSFSR ) is a Russian professional basketball player. Kaun studied in the United States and won with the Jayhawks of the University of Kansas, the U.S. NCAA College Cup in 2008. Subsequently, he played in his homeland for the dominant Russian basketball club CSKA PBK from Moscow. With the Russian national team, he participated in the Basketball World Championship 2010.

College

Kaun completed a year at the "preparation school" Florida Air Academy in Melbourne ( Florida) and in 2004 was taken up to study at the University of Kansas in Lawrence (Kansas ), where he while for the renowned high school team Jayhawks, for even Wilt Chamberlain his studies had played, played in the NCAA Division I. In his first year he played, among others, along with Keith Langford, who was to play professional basketball in Russia later. In the first two seasons of Kaun would retire each bit of a surprise out in the first two rounds of the national finals. From 2006 to 2008 they won before the start of the national finals in each case the championship in the Big 12 Conference. 2007, it dropped out just before reaching the Final Four tournament in the quarterfinals. In 2008 they reached the Final Four and hit one after the higher-rated Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Memphis Tigers. A total of five players on the winning team, including the Final Four Most Outstanding Player Mario Chalmers were then selected by clubs of the highest endowed professional league NBA in 2008 Entry Draft. Kaun itself was selected in the second round to 56th position overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. This was so far a historic pick, as this was the last draft pick this franchise as SuperSonics. Then, this club was transferred to Oklahoma City Thunder as in the neighboring state of Kansas.

Russia

In summer 2008, Kaun was with the Russian national team, but ultimately had to evacuate but still its place in the Olympic squad for Viktor Chrjapa. He signed instead of in the NBA then signed a contract in his native Russia at the dominant basketball club CSKA PBK from Moscow. The association could also defend as a result his Russian title. In the highest European club competition ULEB Euro Cup 2008/ 09 but failed to defend the title, as it was narrowly defeated in the final Panathinaikos Athens. Kaun itself was used as a reserve player a good five minutes per game and had spent most of its operating time in the final with just under 13 minutes. Shortly before the final of the 2009 European Championships, he had to cancel his participation due to injury. In his second season at CSKA he was regularly 20 minutes per game and was in the ULEB Euro Cup 2009/ 10 players in the starting five. In addition to the Russian championship they won the first regular hosting of the Eastern European VTB United League. In the Final Four of the Euro League they finished after a semi-final defeat against eventual champions FC Barcelona in third place with a victory in extra time in the small final on KK Partizan Belgrade. Partizan coach Dusko longtime Vujošević was then coach of CSKA. In the 2010 World Cup finals squad of Kaun was in coach David leaf. One first has won all games except for a first round defeat against hosts Turkey. In the quarterfinals, then they lost to eventual champion United States and ranked according to the ranking round in which Kaun no longer played, seventh place after an injury. Kaun himself had to fight on at the start of the 2010/11 season with injury problems and did only games in Russian Championship and the VTB League, because you surprisingly eliminated in the ULEB Euro Cup 2010/ 11 in the first round and for the first time not after nine years Final Four tournament this competition reached what was the sacking of coach Vujošević result. In the final round of VTB United League in 2011 they lost just two points with the Russian runner- BK Khimki, but you could defeat again in the final series of the Russian Championship. Kaun had to cancel again due to an injury to participate in a European Championship finals at the end of the season because of a necessary operation. At the Olympic Games in 2012 Kaun was again in the squad of the Russian national team. He graduated on average just under 20 minutes per game and won the bronze medal with the team.

Awards and achievements

• Winner NCAA Championship 2008
• Russian Champion (5x): 2009-2013
• Russian Cup winner: 2010
• VTB United League winner: 2010, 2012, 2013
• Bronze Medalist 2012 Olympic Games
• MVP of the Month October 2013 VTB United League