Markkanen returns to the Utah Jazz after finishing his military duty.
He experienced a strange summer.
Lauri Markkanen has been quite busy over the last year, and he has finally returned to the Utah Jazz ahead of the 2023 NBA season.
During the Utah Jazz’s dismal season last year, he took charge of the situation and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year. Based on that performance, he was a true All-Star.
However, it wasn’t simply on the court the Finn watched his life alter. Following a successful sports year, he was obliged to give up his luxurious lifestyle in order to serve his nation.
In Finland, military duty is mandatory until the age of 30, so Markkanen, 25, decided to take the leap.
“We have to do it and we are proud of it,” he went on to say.
Lauri Markkanen’s Summer: Military Service and the FIBA World Cup
As a result, Markkanen had to stop playing basketball for the summer in order to finish the procedure.
He did attend the FIBA World Cup, but had little success because Finland was not the same as at EuroBasket and was eliminated, with Markkanen failing to perform effectively.
However, less than a month before returning to the NBA, and in the midst of training camp, Markkanen revealed that he had finished his military service.
“It was fantastic, I met some amazing people,” he said.
He returns, eager to learn more about the Utah Jazz. Will they be a club with minimal aspirations in the Western Conference, or will they have a youthful core looking to make the playoffs?
Their faith in their captain is high, as he gained enough respect to be a reference point last season, averaging 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds.
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