1. Lauri Elias Markkanen is a Finnish professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association, and for the Finland national team.
42 Facts About Lauri Markkanen
1. 2.
Lauri Markkanen was selected seventh overall in the 2017 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being included in a draft-night trade to the Chicago Bulls for Jimmy Butler.
3.
Lauri Markkanen led Finland in the 2023 FIBA World Cup tournament.
4.
Lauri Markkanen was named the Finnish Athlete of the Year in 2023, as the first basketball player ever to win the award.
5.
Lauri Markkanen is widely considered to be one of the best shooting big men in NBA history.
6.
Lauri Markkanen was born in Vantaa, but grew up in Jyvaskyla.
7.
In 2014, Lauri Markkanen moved to Helsinki and joined Helsinki Basketball Academy.
8.
Lauri Markkanen played for the academy team HBA-Marsky in the Finnish second-tier league from 2014 to 2016.
9.
Lauri Markkanen attended the Basketball Without Borders camp in 2015.
10.
Lauri Markkanen has been named to the pre-season Karl Malone Award Watchlist, Naismith Award Watchlist, Wooden Award Watchlist, Wooden Award Midseason Top 25, Wayman Tisdale Award Midseason watch list, Oscar Robertson Award Midseason watch list, Karl Malone Award Finalist, Naismith Top 30 Finalist.
11.
Lauri Markkanen was selected to the third team All-American team by the Associated Press, NBC Sports, USA Today, and the Sporting News on 6 March 2017.
12.
Lauri Markkanen was a first team All-Pac-12 selection, as well as first team All-Pac-12 Freshman team and first team All-Pac-12 team in Associated Press.
13.
Lauri Markkanen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the seventh pick of the first round of the 2017 NBA draft.
14.
On 5 July 2017, Lauri Markkanen signed with the Bulls on a four-year rookie scale contract worth $20.4 million.
15.
On 19 October 2017, Lauri Markkanen made his NBA debut with the Bulls and scored 17 points.
16.
Lauri Markkanen asked former NBA player Brian Scalabrine to use his number 24, which Brian allowed.
17.
Four days later, Lauri Markkanen blocked a career-high three shots against the Los Angeles Lakers.
18.
Lauri Markkanen ended his rookie season leading the Bulls in rebounds with 7.5 and fourth in scoring with 15.2; his 14 double-doubles was third among rookies behind Kyle Kuzma and Ben Simmons.
19.
Lauri Markkanen began the season tying a career-high with 35 points along with 17 rebounds in a one-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets, the most opening-day points by a Chicago Bull since Michael Jordan in 1995.
20.
Since Lauri Markkanen moved to the second unit, he had been given a limited time and had been playing the small forward position.
21.
On 28 August 2021, Lauri Markkanen was acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team sign-and-trade involving the Portland Trail Blazers.
22.
Lauri Markkanen reportedly signed a four-year contract worth $67.5 million to complete the deal.
23.
Lauri Markkanen was the starting small forward for the Cavs for the majority of the season, and he along with rookie starting power forward Evan Mobley and starting center Jarrett Allen formed "Tower City" going against the widely accepted NBA small ball strategy and instead using 3 big men in the starting lineup.
24.
The strategy paid off, as the Cavs ended the year 7th in defensive rating and Lauri Markkanen put up career highs in defensive metrics.
25.
Lauri Markkanen become the first NBA All-Star born in a Nordic country.
26.
Lauri Markkanen suffered a hamstring injury and missed eight games, before returning to line-up on 14 December 2023.
27.
On 15 December 2023, it was reported that Lauri Markkanen appeared to no longer be an off-limits, "untouchable" figure on the Jazz, concerning any trade possibilities, as the interest in him grew around the league.
28.
On 15 January 2024, Lauri Markkanen was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week, for the first time in his career.
29.
Lauri Markkanen missed the last part of the season partly due to a shoulder injury and partly due to tanking.
30.
On 7 August 2024, after Lauri Markkanen had been linked with trade speculations to the Golden State Warriors the whole summer, he signed a contract extension with the Jazz, on a five-year deal worth $238 million, surpassing Kimi Raikkonen to become the highest earning Finnish athlete ever.
31.
Lauri Markkanen made his international debut with the Finnish U-18 national team at the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship.
32.
Lauri Markkanen averaged 18.2 points per game and was the top scorer in the tournament.
33.
Lauri Markkanen was the top scorer in 2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship tournament for Finland U20 with an average of 24.9 points per game and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
34.
Lauri Markkanen played with the Finland senior national team at EuroBasket 2017, which was partly held in his home country.
35.
Lauri Markkanen led his team to the round of 16 by averaging 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds over 6 games.
36.
Lauri Markkanen averaged 27.9 points on 54.2 percent shooting, and eight rebounds over seven games.
37.
Lauri Markkanen was named in the Finnish national team roster to play 2023 FIBA World Cup.
38.
Lauri Markkanen is the son of Pekka and Riikka Markkanen, who both were professional basketball players, and has two brothers, former professional basketball player Miikka and professional footballer Eero.
39.
In December 2023, Lauri Markkanen signed an extended and upgraded deal with Nike, including customized personal edition shoes, featuring "LM23" and "Finnisher" on each heel.
40.
Lauri Markkanen began his compulsory military service on April 17,2023, at the military base of Santahamina in Helsinki, Finland.
41.
Lauri Markkanen is a fan of ice hockey, having played the sport casually with friends multiple times a week while growing up, and attends National Hockey League games when he is able to on the road.
42.
On 8 October 2024, Lauri Markkanen was a featured guest during the NHL expansion team Utah Hockey Club's inaugural game and joined owner Ryan Smith on the ice for the ceremonial opening puck drop.