Utah Jazz’s Finnish star Lauri Markkanen, 25, will begin his military service at the Defense Forces Sports School in Santahamina. Markkanen will probably enter the service in less than two weeks.
Emma Hyuppa,
Antti-Jussi Sipilä
Basketball star Lauri Markkanen will start military service in Finland when his club team Utah Jazz’s season in the NBA ends.
Utah has practically lost its chance for a playoff spot with only three games left in the regular season. Thus, Markkanen will probably start his service at the Finnish Defense Forces Sports School in Helsinki on April 17. Another possibility to start military service is in July.
Among other things, Markkanen talked about his plans ESPN (switch to another service). Markkanen told the US media that he considers serving military service to be an example and a matter of pride.
25-year-old Markkanen’s positive attitude towards the army was also revealed in an interview with Urheilu in Salt Lake City.
– We’ll see how it goes. It has to be taken care of from below. In that way, I feel really good about it, that after the season there will be other things to think about than basketball. Get your thoughts elsewhere, Markkanen told Urheilu.
Markkanen said that he does not yet know how many days he will have to spend in the service. The Finnish national team is preparing for the World Cup final tournament to be played in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan in August-September.
– Of course, as a professional athlete, you strive to develop as well as possible. Even though there is conscript service, it will not change for any reason. Even if it is taken care of from below, the goal is for players to move forward all the time, Markkanen said.
Military service postponed several times
Markkanen applied for a postponement of his military service already in 2016 after leaving for the University of Arizona after high school. The following year, he was drafted to the NBA. Markkanen planned to complete the service in April of last year, but postponed it when his then club, the Cleveland Cavaliers, advanced to the playoffs.
– Lauri has always said that he is going to do this. It is important for him to fulfill his civic duty. He does not want special treatment because he is a famous athlete, Markkanen’s long-term agent Michael Lelchitski told ESPN.
Defense forces announced in November (you will switch to another service), that 99 athletes were selected for the April entry batch of the sports school. Markkanen’s name is not on this list. The majority of those selected will do conscript service, like Markkanen, in Santahamina, and the remaining dozen ski athletes in the Kainuu brigade in Kajaani. In addition to Markkanen, nine basketball players have been selected for the April arrival batch.
The current season has been the best in Markkanen’s career. In his first season in Utah, Markkanen has averaged 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds. He was selected for the NBA All-Star Game, which was played in February in Salt Lake City.
The Jazz suffered a narrow loss to the Los Angeles Lakers the other night with Markkanen on the sidelines due to a hand injury. The Finn will also not play in next night’s home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.