Lauri Markkanen can become at least among the five best players of the World Cup and even among the three toughest, writes Urheilu’s Roope Visuri.
Roope VisuriYle Sports reporter
With just over two weeks until the World Basketball Championships, Susijeng’s chances at the Games look fascinating.
The biggest question marks for the Finnish team are related to the thin back-row situation, but there has been even greater turbulence before the games than the opponents in the initial group in Germany and Japan.
The medal candidate in Germany has been bubbling over the summer. About German NBA stars Dennis Schroeder questioned another NBA player Maxi Kleber commitment so that Kleber decided to skip the games this year.
It could have been one of Lauri Markkanen’s overcoats from Germany. Of course, Germany still has a lot of stars and skilled NBA players, but this kind of rift has hardly helped the preparation.
The latest information is also that Schröder, who is the captain of the Germans, has Achilles tendon problems. The German head coach is well known to Finns Gordon Herbert stated that Schröder is in good shape, but not yet in peak condition.
The tournament host, Japan, is missing the country’s second NBA star, at least for the time being Rui Hachimura. He announced earlier in the summer that he would miss the home games, because he wanted to focus on the upcoming NBA season as a player without a contract. However, Hachimura has signed a new contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to the Japanese team, talk of a comeback has intensified, but there is no certainty. Hachimura could also have been one of Markkanen’s potential eclipsers.
Lauri Markkanen even the third best player in the World Cup?
In general, the basketball World Cup is plagued by quite a lot of stars. The Serbian who led Denver to the championship this year and is considered the best basketball player in the world Nikola Jokic announced that he would miss the games.
Among European superstars, also Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo playing is uncertain. Antetokounmpo underwent knee surgery in mid-July, and has not been with the team yet.
As usual, the United States is participating in the World Cup with a young team. There are no big stars involved at all. The most famous players are the four who have appeared in the NBA All-Star Game once: Last season’s best defender awarded Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis) and the 2020 number one reservation Anthony Edwards (Minnesota), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana) and Brandon Ingram (New Orleans).
Already after the group draw, it was clear that Lauri Markkanen would be the best player in his group in the Finnish World Cup group played in Okinawa. Before the Games, however, it seems that Markkanen is one of the best players of the entire World Cup. It can be used as a measuring stick, for example the prestigious American media The Ringer’s listing of the NBA’s best players.
Markkanen would be the sixth strongest on The Ringer’s list of the players who will be seen with certainty in the World Cup. If Antetokounmpo and another uncertain player Canada’s Jamal Murray were on the sidelines, Markkanen would be the fourth best player of the World Cup in advance in this comparison.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks/Greece
7. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks/Slovenia
13. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder/Canada
16. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets/Canada
24. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves/USA
26. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks/USA
28. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz/Finland
29. Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans/USA
31. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota/Dominican Republic
32. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers/USA
33. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies/USA
37. Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets/USA
52. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves/France
60. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic/USA
61. Kristaps Porzingis, Washington Wizards/Latvia
69. Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder/Australia
84. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic/Germany
89. Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls/Montenegro
94. Cam Johnson, Brooklyn Nets/USA
102. Josh Hart, New York Knicks/USA
103. Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz/USA
104. Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz/Philippines
105. Kyle Anderson, Minnesota/China
106. RJ Barrett, New York/Canada
109. Austin Reaves, LA Lakers/USA
112. Lu Dort, Oklahoma/Canada
115. Jonas Valanciunas, New Orleans Pelicans/Lithuania
116. Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks/USA
118. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks/Serbia
Slovene Luka Doncic seems to be the biggest star of the World Cup, followed by Antetokounmpo. After that, there will be a bunch of players in roughly the same “class”. Of these players, the NBA champion quarterback by Jamal Murray playing in a Canadian jersey is still open.
The Finnish superstar has a good chance of being among the five toughest players at the World Cup and even in the top three behind Doncic and Antetokounmpo.
The setup for the World Championships in a couple of weeks is also very exciting. Australia and Germany are still medal contenders, so the challenge is immediately extremely tough. However, Markkanen is a player who, on his best days, can turn the game around in the World Cup with his own performances.
Susijengi will face Australia in their first World Cup match on Friday, August 25 at 11:00 Finnish time. Highlights of Lauri Markkanen’s and Susijeng’s World Cup games can be seen freshly on ‘s website and in the app.