Lauri Markkanen is the Athlete of the Year! The NBA coach was able to learn Finnish right away – a funny story from his mother | Sport

Lauri Markkanen is the Sportsman of the Year 2023. Last year, the basketball star was selected for the NBA All-Star Game of the world’s best basketball league, as well as the most developed player of the year. Markkanen rose to the absolute elite of basketball. In the World Championships, Markkanen was the third best scorer of the entire Games.

Markkanen collected the award in Salt Lake City at the premises of his club team, the Utah Jazz.

– Work has been done after these. Hard set! Markkanen fanned.

Markkas immediately came to congratulate the Utah Jazz GM Justin Zanik and head coach Will Hardy. Markkanen was able to teach head coach Hardy the Finnish language right away.

– Athlete of the year. Athlete of the year, Markkanen said.

Later, in his acceptance speech, Markkanen thanked many parties. First he thanked his parents and brothers.

– Thank you for the incredible support I have received and the competitive spirit has also pushed me forward. Many thanks to the wife as well For Verna an infinite amount of support. It has given me the opportunity to train and focus on basketball, Markkanen said.

– This award means a lot to me. I have been the first basketball player to achieve this and have tried to pave the way. You can achieve great things with passion. Great things happen when you keep practicing, Markkanen said.

– I respect this because I know how tough role models and athletes come from Finland. Being on the winners list means a lot to me. Let’s forget about sport boundaries and take Finnish sports forward.

Shortly after the awarding, Markkanen told Urheilu that the celebration day will continue with exercises. At the time of awarding in Salt Lake City, the clock struck 13:00.

– The prizes go to the dressing room for a while. Now let’s go to the punt practice. Let’s watch yesterday’s game again on video and develop as a team. In the evening, we hope to celebrate with family and relatives and get to spend a nice evening here too, Markkanen told about his plans.

Utah knocked off the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets last night. Under Markkanen’s leadership, Utah is currently the hottest team in the NBA.

An important message and a funny story from mom

Markkanen’s parents Pekka and Riikka were present at the Sports Gala in Helsinki.

– Absolutely insane. I can’t really put this into words, Pekka Markkanen set the mood.

Riikka Markkane had an important message for everyone following the Sports Gala.

– We could talk a lot about genes, growing environment, talent or the influence of the brothers. However, I think it is necessary to emphasize Lauri’s enormous desire for training and training since he was a little boy, Riikka Markkanen emphasized.

Lauri Markkase has two older brothers. Eero, who became a professional soccer player, and Miikka, who also played basketball when he was younger.

– Lauri has been our trainer since he was little and was kicked in the head by his older brothers. He wanted to show his brothers that I was something too, Pekka Markkanen described.

Riikka Markkanen told about 10-year-old Lauri at his grandparents’ cabin. It was raining. Grandpa had wanted to teach Lauri Markkanen how to heat a sauna.

– Lauri trained in the rain for eight hours. By the way, the sauna didn’t heat up that evening, Riikka Markkanen revealed.

Funny victory speech from Gordon Herbert

The coach of the year also went to the basketball side. Gordon Herbert coached Germany to world champion in the last year. Herbert, who received Finnish citizenship in 1989, was really happy with his choice. He gave a speech of no less than four minutes. Herbert made the audience laugh several times. Herbert caused a roar of laughter and huge applause when he told about his first idols after moving to Finland.

– The first was Marja-Liisa Hämäläinen. A great skier. For the first time I saw the heart of Finland, Herbert said in Finnish.

– The other was a slightly different type. Seppo Räty. A great javelin thrower, good humor and I have learned my first swear words in Finnish from him. For the record, he said: Germany is a great country, Herbert continued, referring to Rädy’s frustrated comment at the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart.

The tennis team won prizes

The tennis Davis Cup team took no less than two awards at the Sports Gala. The Davis Cup team was Team of the Year and Model of the Year. Captain of the Finnish tennis team Jarkko Nieminen beamed that the role model award really means a lot.

– We try to stick to the values ​​and maintain the mood. We enjoy meeting each other and working towards common goals. Our good mood is clearly visible on the outside as well, Nieminen said.

When receiving the team award, Nieminen wanted to thank the players, but also the parents of the players.

– The team trains people and then athletes, in this case tennis players. We have great personalities and people in the team, a big thank you for that, Nieminen said.