22-year-old Lahtinen has played for four seasons at the highest level of the university series NCAA. Finnish women’s head coach Pekka Salminen believes that a possible reservation will come to Lahtinen towards the end of the event.
A 22-year-old representing the Finnish basketball national team and the NCAA Georgia Tech university series Lotta-Maj Lahtinen will be attending a WNBA booking ceremony on Monday – Tuesday night.
The Lappeenranta-based back player ended his university career in the United States in the spring. Lahtinen played the highest league level in the NCAA in Georgia Tech for four seasons. The Finn scored a total of 116 matches in Atlanta, averaging 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
In the 2020–2021 period, Lahtinen was selected as the most advanced player of the year at the Atlantic Coast Conference and in the top five chosen by Blue Ribbon Panel experts. He was selected by university coaches for the second five of the conference season.
Head coach of the Finnish national team Pekka Salminen describes Lahti as a winning character. According to him, the unyielding and tenacious 174-cent Lahtinen has already shown a particularly good ability to adapt to hard games in North America.
– When thinking about a booking opportunity, he has already shown his adaptability at Georgia Tech. He made a sacrifice in front of his team for his final season at the NCAA and played in the “wrong” venue. He is more naturally a second-place player, but played for his team as a playmaker, Salminen tells Sport for example.
If Lahtinen is booked, he will be shouted most potentially in either the second or third round. A total of 36 players will be booked for the entire booking event in a total of three rounds. Salminen believes that the Finn’s reservation will depend on whether the WNBA teams look at general athleticism and length or basketball skills and character.
– He’s estimated to be around the 30th reservation there. His most potential position is from the end of the second round. If a club is looking for a multi-purpose player with just his strengths, then he has a good place to be booked, Salminen estimates.
– Instead, if the clubs only look for and look at sheer length and that kind of raw sportiness, then Lotta-Maj has a harder time. If he is free and hits a club that needs skills like him, anything is possible. I sincerely hope he gets a reservation.
Towards professional fields
Lahtinen was raised by Catz from Lappeenranta, in addition to whom he has represented the Helsinki-based HBA in Finland. In the Finnish women’s national team shirt, she has played 15 times and scored an average of 9.5. He could have stayed in the college series for another year, but the call for professionalism was tougher. At the same time, he decided to put his name on the WNBA event list.
– Due to the NCAA’s interest rate exemptions, I would have had the opportunity to stay in the university world for another year, but after the period I decided to go for a professional dream, Lahtinen says in a press release.
– I’m in the age range that a WNBA reservation is possible. What happened went on Monday’s booking ceremony, so it’s sure to leave for the professional fields after the summer.
One Finnish basketball player is currently playing in the professional series at WNBA. Representing Dallas Wings Awak Kuier contracted before the WNBA Series in Europe, which begins on May 6, in Ragusa, Italy’s main series.