Lauri Markkanen

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Markkanen started his career with HBA-Märsky in the Finnish second-tier league. He represented Finland at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket in 2015 and the FIBA U20 EuroBasket in 2016, and was the top scorer in both tournaments. He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats in the 2016–17 season, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He was selected seventh overall in the 2017 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night. After a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he experienced a career resurgence with the Jazz, earning his first All-Star selection and winning the Most Improved Player Award in 2023. He led Finland in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and signed a five-year contract extension with the Jazz.

In Their Own Story

Standing alongside Mobley and Allen, he operated as the starting small forward, using his seven-foot frame to guard multiple positions while punishing opponents from deep. On March 18, 2022, this approach culminated in a standout performance against the Denver Nuggets. In an overtime thriller ending 119–116, Markkanen recorded 31 points, ten rebounds, and four steals, proving his adaptability as a versatile forward. Although he averaged 14.8 points and 5.7 rebounds over the lone season in Cleveland, the statistical output was secondary to the defensive identity he helped forge during the team's transition.

Reader's Guide

Markkanen played for the Chicago Bulls from 2017 to 2021, then for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2021–2022 season. He was traded to the Utah Jazz in September 2022 and has played for them since. He was named Finnish Athlete of the Year in 2023.

Did You Know?

• Markkanen is the first basketball player to win the Finnish Athlete of the Year award.
• He set an NBA record for most three-pointers in the first three games of a career with ten.
• He was the first seven-foot player since Dirk Nowitzki to make eight three-pointers in a game.