Lauri Markkanen

BIOGRAPHY

Lauri Markkanen was born on May 22, 1997, Vantaa, Finland. He is a forward/center in the NBA.

Markkanen grew up in Jyväskylä, and played his junior years in local team HoNsU. Markkanen played for HBA-Märsky in the Finnish second-tier league from 2014 to 2016. He is the son of Finnish basketball players Pekka and Riikka Markkanen, and the younger brother of soccer player Eero Markkanen.

Markkanen verbally committed to NCAA Division I squad Arizona Wildcats prior to the 2016–17 season. 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. He 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.

At the conclusion of his freshman season, Markkanen announced his intention to forgo his final three years of collegiate eligibility and enter the 2017 NBA draft. Markkanen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the seventh pick of the first round of the 2017 NBA draft. On draft night, his rights were traded to the Chicago Bulls along with Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn for Jimmy Butler and the rights to Justin Patton.

Markkanen played with the Finland senior team at EuroBasket 2017, which was partly held in his home country. He led his team to the round of 16 by averaging 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds over 6 games.

On August 28, 2021, Markkanen was acquired by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team sign-and-trade also involving the Portland Trail Blazers.

He was traded to the Jazz on September 22, 2022, in a package for Donovan Mitchell. Markkanen experienced a career resurgence in his first year with the Jazz, earning his first All-Star selection in 2023