Lauri Markkanen - The Finnisher Edition -upd p92 Debut Tonight!

[PaKii94]

By the way, I'm sceptical about Lauri needing to spend the summer adding muscle. I'd be very afraid of him turning stiffer, slower and heavier. He's not a bruiser, his mobility is one of his biggest assets.

He needs a stronger core and base and much more reps near the basket.

He has the build to be 'wiry' strong and can improve his explosiveness

[GrowingHorns]

Some random takes:

- Made 15 x 20pts or more vs. 8 x 10pts or less in a game
- 29/68 games topped his 15.2PPG average - it tells about balance especially that he scored under 10pts only eight times
- Had only ten times 3 personal fouls or more - good and bad. Good is, he had no foul troubles as he can keep it up with guys and moves well for his size, but it also tells you he could have been more aggressive and adventurous trying out new things even if it could have led into occasional foul troubles. Especially I wanted to see him risking offensive fouls, as you learn through them where's the limits.
- Shot threes .400 or higher in 28/68 games, having total .362 success rate from deep. lots of room to improve.
* Divided on ten game periods, where he topped his .362 average looks like this: 5-5-2-7-4-2-6. In his first 34 games hi topped his average only 13 times, as in his last 18 games he topped it 18 times.
* He had 22 times six or more 3PA in first 34 games, and in last 34 games he played, only he had 14 times six or more 3PA. Six is chosen by his 5.9 3PA per game average, and this tells us the same as the eye test how his shot selection improved and there were less of games being pure 3pt shooter. it shows also in those slightly improved number of games he topped his average efficiency from deep.

(To be continued, until another time I'm bored)

[Louri]

It's confirmed now, that Markkanen will play in 2019 FIBA World Cup qualification games this summer. Excellent news for Finland.

[TheFinishSniper]

It's confirmed now, that Markkanen will play in 2019 FIBA World Cup qualification games this summer. Excellent news for Finland.

Not great news for Bulls. This guy will not only not have proper offseason to work on his body and skill but he will eventually suffer some serious injury if he keep this schedule up with no rest. He is consistently playing basketball at his size with no rest for far too long. I can't be happy about this news.

[Swuul]

It's confirmed now, that Markkanen will play in 2019 FIBA World Cup qualification games this summer. Excellent news for Finland.

Not all of the matches though, just two (the most critical Finland needs to win to have a chance to qualify). 29th of June away game vs Czhecia, and 2nd of July home game vs Iceland. Hopefully I'll get tickets to the home game, fans of Iceland and their viking chant is always something to feel and see (plus the finns like it so much, they join in with the fans of Iceland, with the occasional wolf howling (Team Finland is called "The Wolfpack")).

Watch on YouTube

[Axolotl]

The Finnisher back in Finland and Jyväskylä, hanging out with over 200 kids of Lauri Markkanen Basketball School.

[sco]

By the way, I'm sceptical about Lauri needing to spend the summer adding muscle. I'd be very afraid of him turning stiffer, slower and heavier. He's not a bruiser, his mobility is one of his biggest assets.

He needs a stronger core and base and much more reps near the basket.

This, IMO, is the key to the trajectory of his career. The only thing that gives me hope is that he is modeling his game after Dirk!

[Hugi Mancura]

It's confirmed now, that Markkanen will play in 2019 FIBA World Cup qualification games this summer. Excellent news for Finland.

Not great news for Bulls. This guy will not only not have proper offseason to work on his body and skill but he will eventually suffer some serious injury if he keep this schedule up with no rest. He is consistently playing basketball at his size with no rest for too long. I can't be happy about this news.

It doesn't really matter. It only means two games and maybe 1-2 weeks of practice. So rest of the 5 months he can do what Bulls need.

[lostikka_FIN]

Yeah, Bulls have agreed with Finnish national team exactly how Lauri trains personally. They have even Kobe’s former personal medical trainer in team, so no need to worry too much.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[TimHonks]

Lauri was on today’s episode of Pardon My Take (Barstool sports podcast). If you don’t like barstool you probably won’t like the show, but for me it was the first extended interview I’ve really heard from him. Seems like a good kid and a nice guy. Random notes:

-people thought he was soft because he is a white player from Europe
-doesn’t drink
-hardest player to guard was LeBron.
-mj goat, but he grew up with LeBron
-likes Fred - different style of coach than he has had
-doesn’t like dirk comparison
-favorite movie borat

Again, the podcast isn’t for everyone - but I was happy to hear him on it and seems like he has a good sense of humor.

[PaKii94]

Lauri was on today’s episode of Pardon My Take (Barstool sports podcast). If you don’t like barstool you probably won’t like the show, but for me it was the first extended interview I’ve really heard from him. Seems like a good kid and a nice guy. Random notes:

-people thought he was soft because he is a white player from Europe
-doesn’t drink
-hardest player to guard was LeBron.
-mj goat, but he grew up with LeBron
-likes Fred - different style of coach than he has had
-doesn’t like dirk comparison
-favorite movie borat

Again, the podcast isn’t for everyone - but I was happy to hear him on it and seems like he has a good sense of humor.

How long is it? Can you link us? And also let us know when Lauri comes on!

[TimHonks]

Lauri was on today’s episode of Pardon My Take (Barstool sports podcast). If you don’t like barstool you probably won’t like the show, but for me it was the first extended interview I’ve really heard from him. Seems like a good kid and a nice guy. Random notes:

-people thought he was soft because he is a white player from Europe
-doesn’t drink
-hardest player to guard was LeBron.
-mj goat, but he grew up with LeBron
-likes Fred - different style of coach than he has had
-doesn’t like dirk comparison
-favorite movie borat

Again, the podcast isn’t for everyone - but I was happy to hear him on it and seems like he has a good sense of humor.

How long is it? Can you link us? And also let us know when Lauri comes on!

I'm not sure how to link a podcast, sorry. I listen to them on the "Podcasts" app on my cellphone or Spotify. Just search for Pardon My Take, it's the most recent episode.

Lauri is from 28:01-48:55, so a 20 minute + interview.

Kris Bryant was on the show Monday if you are a cubs fan and you enjoy the interview. BIg Cat, the main PMT host, is from Chicago and is a big Chicago sports fan.

[TheFinishSniper]

https://www.barstoolsports.com/chicago/pmt-4-18-bulls-lauri-markkanen-and-boston-marathon-winner-des-linden

[erlim]

https://www.barstoolsports.com/chicago/pmt-4-18-bulls-lauri-markkanen-and-boston-marathon-winner-des-linden

I am a big fan of Lauri, but those two interviewers are horrible.

[NDave79]

This was fun to watch. Who would have thought before the season Lauri would have so many monster dunks his rookie year?

Read on Twitter

Man, that behind the back, step back 3 at the 2 minute mark is so smooth for a 7 footer. I can't really imagine another 7 footer (except Durant if you call him a 7 footer) pulling that off so smoothly.

[BigJimFinn]

This was fun to watch. Who would have thought before the season Lauri would have so many monster dunks his rookie year?

I haven't seen it talked about, possibly because dunk stats are not available from official sources, but according to this
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/stats/dunk-o-meter
Lauri was 37th in the league with 63 dunks. (No, I have no idea why the header says 2014-15 season, the names and numbers clearly match this year). So if Mitchell had fewer, my question is: which rookies have ever had 140+ 3PM and 60+ dunks?
The answer may be too difficult to verify, but there can't be many with 2 threes and one dunk per game, and this to me best illustrates why Lauri is such an intriguing offensive prospect and the comps with Channing Frye, Ryan Anderson etc. are dead.
The dunk number should be easy to increase, if Lauri was ever used as the roll man instead of always popping out. Operating around the FT circle should also add to his assists. The problem with using Lauri in the P&R is creating the spacing; you can stick one of Nwaba-Lopez-Felicio on the baseline, but if two non-shooters are on the court, the defense can easily pack the paint. Having Dunn as ballhandler does not help in this regard either, so it might not happen next season.

Added after some checking: the only players above him on that dunk list, who also made more 3P shots this season, are...
LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

[GrowingHorns]

And the thing beyond numbers is, he dunks with power. That's what people love, and that's one of the reasons he is a good candidate to become the most liked European talent of his generation.

[CBS7]

This was fun to watch. Who would have thought before the season Lauri would have so many monster dunks his rookie year?

Read on Twitter

Man, that behind the back, step back 3 at the 2 minute mark is so smooth for a 7 footer. I can't really imagine another 7 footer (except Durant if you call him a 7 footer) pulling that off so smoothly.

I really think he can become a superstar. A true top 8-10 player in the league. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and seems to love the game as well. All positive signs. He's still only 20. 5ish years away from his physical prime and 7-8 away from his basketball prime.

[kodo]

I predict it will a LONG time before any rookie matches Markkanen's 140 3's and 500 rebounds.

The 140+ 3PM club is almost all guards other than Kuzma.

Just the # of players at age 20 who could grab 500 rebounds is pretty exclusive by itself.

[sco]

I predict it will a LONG time before any rookie matches Markkanen's 140 3's and 500 rebounds.

The 140+ 3PM club is almost all guards other than Kuzma.

Just the # of players at age 20 who could grab 500 rebounds is pretty exclusive by itself.

That said, it doesn't hurt to have a team that can't shoot and a C that prefers to block out than rebound.