Lauri Markkanen has received a prestigious award in the basketball league NBA. Markkanen was named the player who developed the most during the last season.
Markkanen improved his points per game average by nearly 11 points this season. The 25-year-old Finn moved to the Utah Jazz last summer from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Markkanen’s stats this season were 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
– I was in the right place at the right time, Markkanen commented on his statistics.
Markkanen flew to Finland immediately after the end of the NBA regular season, and began his military service at Sandhamn in Helsinki last week.
– It feels incredible. It is a privilege to be in this position, Markkanen commented on his election to the television channel TNT from Helsinki.
Milwaukee Bucks Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo was the latest European player to win the same award. Antetokounmpo received the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2017. Markkanen is also the first Utah player to receive the award.
It is about a hundred basketball journalists who decide the winner of the award. Markkanen won the vote in dominant style ahead of New York Knicks Jalen Brunson and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Markkanen received 430 points in the poll, while Gilgeous-Alexander received 289 and Brunson 91 points.
– This is absolutely incredible! Many athletes dream of this as a child, but when it actually happens, it humbles you. However, this is only the beginning. I have always known what I am for and what I am capable of as a player. In Utah, all the pieces seemed to fall into place and I was given the freedom to grow as a player to a new level, commented Markkanen.
