Lauri Markkanen
Finnish basketball player (born 1997) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lauri Elias Markkanen (/ˈlaʊri ˈmɑːrkənɛn/ LAO-ree MAR-kə-nen; born 22 May 1997) is a Finnish basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Finnisher",[1] he is the son of Finnish basketball players Pekka and Riikka Markkanen, and the younger brother of footballer Eero Markkanen.
No. 23 – Utah Jazz | |
---|---|
Position | Small forward / power forward |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | (1997-05-22) 22 May 1997 (age 26) Vantaa, Finland |
Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
Career information | |
College | Arizona (2016–2017) |
NBA draft | 2017: 1st round, 7th overall pick |
Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves | |
Playing career | 2005–present |
Career history | |
2005–2011 | HoNsU |
2012–2014 | BC Jyväskylä |
2014–2017 | HBA-Märsky |
2017–2021 | Chicago Bulls |
2021–2022 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
2022–present | Utah Jazz |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Starting his career with HBA-Märsky in the Finnish second-tier league, Markkanen moved to the United States and played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, where he earned First-team All-Pac-12 honors in his lone year with the team. He 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. Following a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Markkanen experienced a career resurgence in his first year with the Jazz, earning his first All-Star selection and winning the Most Improved Player Award in 2023.
Markkanen was named the Finnish Athlete of the Year in 2023, as the first basketball player ever to win the award.[2][3]