Markkanen, who is on a sports assignment from the army, is one of the superstars of the World Basketball Championships starting at the end of August.
Aino Paloniemi,
Manu Myllyaho
Lauri Markkanen like the rest of Susijeng, is currently preparing for the upcoming basketball World Cup. Markkanen has been spending time in Finland for a long time now, as he has completed his military service since mid-April.
National team player Mikael Jantunen acknowledged last week in an interview with Iltalehti, that Markkanen hasn’t talked about anything other than the army lately. Markkanen does not sign Jantunen’s claim.
– He was just so bad at shooting himself that he’s probably a little jealous. He boasts that he got a kick out of shooting when the guys shot at his board. Maybe he caught a little something and now he’s proud of it, Markkanen laughs.
According to his invoices, Markkanes has 57 days of military service left. The basketball star’s attitude has also carried him far in the grays of the army.
– Yes, sometimes we are in the discomfort zone there, sometimes it is cold and wet. I have survived with my friends, even though it has been tough and long days at times, says Markkanen and acknowledges that the army has gone by its own weight.
“It helps a lot that the teammates believe”
Despite his military assignment, Markkanen has been able to train as needed. At the moment, he is with the national team on a sports assignment, so his focus is completely on basketball.
In Susijeng, Markkanen enjoys the trust of his team and is used to throwing the lion’s share of the team’s situational throws.
– The goal is to take good throws and try to share them with others. Sometimes it requires that you understand your own role. At the end of the shot clock, the ball often comes to me and most of them were situations where my teammates played a good position for me.
– It helps a lot that my teammates believe that I throw in, says Markkanen.
Towards Friday’s preparatory match
In the World Cup, Finland was drawn into a tough group where, in addition to the host Japan, Australia and Germany will face each other. Markkanen is one of the biggest stars of the tournament and he has the desire to dominate in the same way he did a year ago in the EC final tournament in Berlin.
– We go with good feelings and it’s nice to be with the team. Last year we made a lot of noise to get to the Games and this is the crown, so I’m looking forward to it.
Markkanen’s NBA team from the Utah Jazz is also participating in the World Cup tournament with the United States Walker Kessler and Jordan Clarkson and Italy Simone Fontecchio and Canada Kelly Olynyk.
With his teammates, Markkanen has hardly had time to anticipate the games, but plans to watch their matches.
On Friday, Susijengi will face Lithuania in the World Cup preparatory match in Tampere. The second preparatory home match will be played on Wednesday of next week and will be against Estonia.
– It’s amazing to get in front of the home crowd again. It will come to you pretty quickly, I’ve now been able to join the team and have had a few training sessions. Day by day I am getting better and I feel that I will definitely be ready to play on Friday.
The Men’s Basketball World Cup will take place from August 25 to September 10. In the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan.