May 4, 2021
Coming from Russia, former Kansas standout Sasha Kaun had no idea about sports in the United States, and his homeland, the idea of becoming a professional athlete was not one he ever thought about. Interestingly, Kaun came to the United States and a boarding school in Florida for academics, where basketball wasn’t even on his radar. Through hard work, Kaun figured out basketball enough to land a scholarship to the University of Kansas and a Jayhawk national championship in 2008. He then spent eight seasons in professional basketball, seven in Russia, and one NBA World Championship season with Cleveland. All along, he let his curiosity and hard work guide him, and it’s safe to say, he figured it out.