Where is Lauri Markkanen from? Hometown, College, and more to know about Utah Jazz player

Lauri Markkanen has emerged as a breakout star this NBA season. The Utah Jazz forward is averaging a career-high 23.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, shooting 52.8% from the field, including 42.1% from 3-point range, leading the team in both scoring and 3-point shooting.

Markkanen couldn't scale his potential in his previous stops with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. His inability to be an effective defensive player, despite his 7-foot frame, proved to be a barrier to his playing opportunities.

The Finnish star has the ideal roster around him with the Jazz. He can flourish in his offensive role, playing alongside two other bigs, akin to his time with the Cavs. However, Markkanen is the #1 option with Utah, which has improved his production.

Where is Lauri Markkanen from?

The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Lauri Markkanen with the seventh pick in the 2017 draft. The Timberwolves traded his rights on the same night in a deal to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls. Markkanen, who hails from Jyväskylä, Finland, played his junior years on a local team named HoNsU.

He represented HBA-Märsky in the Finnish second-tier league between 2014 and 2016. Markkanen decided to take the college route to get to the NBA. Markkanen verbally committed to the Arizona Wildcats in October 2015 before signing a letter of intent a month later to join the NCAA Division I roster. The former Bulls forward played and started all 37 games in his lone college season in 2016-17.

He averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Lauri Markkanen's shooting averages stood out as he made 49.2% of his shots from the field, including 42.3% from 3-point range.

Lauri Markkanen 7th among frontcourt players in first fan returns for the 2023 All-Star game

Lauri Markkanen could be on the verge of securing his first All-Star selection. He has kept the young Utah Jazz roster in the hunt for a play-in tournament spot after leading them to a league-best 10-3 start. The Jazz are 20-21 at the midway point of the season.

Markkanen is also among the top candidates for the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year award. Due to his solid year so far, the Finnish star has received 466,978 All-Star votes in the first fan returns. That's the seventh most for frontcourt players in the Western Conference.

The All-Star vote is expected to be a close affair, with several emerging stars making a legitimate case for their selection. It'll be interesting to see if Markkanen makes the cut.