Lauri Markkanen appeared in front of the media for the first time on Thursday early evening. At that point, the trade of the Finn to Utah was unknown. Among other things, Markkanen’s dunk over Nikola Jokic, one of the biggest stars of the games, became a topic of conversation.
Finland meets Israel in the European basketball championships on Friday at 15:00. Live broadcast on channels from 14:40.
However, attention around Markkanen has calmed down before the start of the European Championships. His media encounter was focused on an international press conference a day before the opening game against Israel.
While other teams had the head coach and team captain at the official press conference, Finland had a captain next to Lassi Tuov Shawn Huff in exchange for Lauri Markkanen.
About a dozen journalists were waiting on the spot: At least Finns, Israelis and Serbians.
The situation was made clear to Markkanen immediately from the side of the organizers as well.
– You can leave when you want, said the representative of the International Basketball Federation leading the press conference.
The situation made Markka smile.
– You are the boss! The host of the press conference freaked out before the press conference started with both Markkanen and Tuovi speaking freely.
After that, we got to the point, when the Israeli journalists start their barrage of questions to Lauri Markkanen. Last week, the Suomalaistahtahti scored 28 points in the World Cup qualifying game against Israel. No fewer than 20 of them came in the opening half.
Israeli journalists wanted to know how Markkanen plans to renew the corresponding readings.
– The previous game was a good team performance from us. We have to do it again, Markkanen formulated in his familiar style and emphasized the importance of the team in top performances.
International media were also interested in Markkanen’s opinion about the German legend Dirk Nowitzki about freezing the national team shirt. After all, there has been a lot of talk over the years about how Markkanen and Nowitzki are similar players.
– I have talked with him a couple of times. Seems like a good guy. We don’t have a very deep relationship. However, I have talked with him and he helped me then, Markkanen described.
Markkanen is one of the players that will be watched in the European Championships. However, Markkanen assures that the situation is comfortable.
– I have been playing under the bright lights for several years. I’m already used to the pressure situation, said Markkanen, who is starting his sixth season in the NBA.
Brings attention too
Lassi Tuovi also got his share of international media interest. Tuov was asked about the expectations against Israel and he said that he expects stronger individual performances from some of the Israeli players.
The 35-year-old Tuovi is now working for the first time as Susijeng’s head coach in the prestigious competition, when Henrik Dettmann left aside his wash in the summer
A Serbian reporter wanted to know what Tuovi thinks about the Serbian head coach by Svetislav Pesic encounter.
The coaching legend first won a big international tournament as a coach in 1985, while Tuovi was born in 1986.
– The coach has shown videos of it, so I have some kind of picture of it, Tuovi laughed in English and waved his hands towards the back of the media room, where Dettmann was following the occasion.
However, Tuovi, who met many top coaches in the Champions League in Strasbourg, emphasized that he is focused on the performance of his team.
– Of course, sitting here is an honor. I’m excited, Tuovi said.
Jokes also flew when Finnish journalists asked about the development of Markkanen’s role since the previous European Championships five years ago. In those EC home games in Helsinki, Markkanen started matches as a substitute, but scored the most points among the substitute players in the entire games.
Markkanen said that the role was already big five years ago, but now he has tried to be a more vocal leader, also remembering Susijeng’s legendary players.
Lassi Tuovi interrupted Markkanen with a small reminder and caused a small commotion at the press conference.
– I believe that Lauri is happy that he no longer has to carry the massage table, Tuovi threw.
European Championships colored by superstars
The discussion at the press conference was also sparked by quite a bunch of stars in the starting European Championships. The brightest guard is Serbia, who also plays in Finland’s group Nikola Jokicof Greece Giannis Antetokounmpo and Slovenian Luka Doncic. All three are among the top five players in the world, depending on the ratings.
Markkanen praised the opportunity to appear in his national team’s shirt and admitted that he was even more nervous when representing Susijeng.
– It’s certainly the same for others. It’s nice to fight against them in the European Championships. I’m looking forward to this. This will definitely be fun, Markkanen said.
After the survey, which lasted 11 minutes, the questions in the international part ended. The host of the press conference announced that the duties are over. He told Markkanen that he could leave if he wanted to.
Tuovi and Markkanen still answered the Finnish media’s questions politely.
– We have nothing else to do, Markkanen laughed.
A Finn’s donk on a Serb’s face in memory
The theme around superstars continued in the Finnish media’s questions. From Finland’s point of view, the toughest match in advance will be seen on Monday, when they will face champion candidate Serbia. The team is led by Jokic, who was chosen as the NBA’s most valuable player in the previous two seasons.
There have been interesting encounters between Markkanen and Jokic in North America as well. Last October, Markkanen shook the donk over Jokic playing in Denver. That performance was praised a lot.
– Yes, you remember it, but you don’t think about it every day. That donk video has been circulating in a group of friends. That’s how you see it from time to time, Markkanen said.
Often times, dunks and putting others on the poster, so to speak, garner admiration in basketball circles.
Urheilu also asked if Markkanen thinks Jokic remembers the donk.
– The opposite has happened to me a few times. At least that’s what I remember. It doesn’t affect the gameplay itself. It goes just as hard in every situation, Markkanen formulated.
After that, in the stands of the Prague arena, we briefly returned to the settings of the Israel game before the Finnish journalists had also emptied their question papers.
At the press conference, the recorder’s clocks stopped at 22 minutes, and at this point no one had any more questions about the tournament.
In the end, Lassi Tuovi had to point out to the host of the press conference that this was the end of it.
The kind Finnish star had made him lose his caution too.