All-Star Lauri Markkanen is a Finnish professional basketball player playing for the NBA team Utah Jazz. Recently he signed a new contract with the Utah Jazz for a five-year, $238 million contract extension with the Utah Jazz.
Born on May 22, 1997, in Vantaa, Finland, 27-year-old Lauri has had an impressive career in the NBA.
After being selected the 7th overall in the 2017 NBA draft by Minnesota Timberwolves he was traded to the Chicago bull on draft night. Where he played for four years and then he joined the Cleveland Cavalier for one year and now he is in the Utah Jazz.
Lauri Markkanen Contract of $238M
Lauri Markkanen’s extension includes $220 new money according to his agent Michael Lelchitski of Sports International Group.
Markkanen, who had one year, $18 million left on his contract, used the Jazz’s salary cap space to increase his 2024-2025 salary by another $24 million and agreed on another four years and $196 million that include no options, Lelchitski told ESPN.
Due to this extension, Markkanen was prohibited from being traded for the next six months. So he is not able to make any trade until next offseason.
“They’ve all showed their belief in me, from the ownership to the front office to Will,” “It’s a comfortable environment and those guys’ résumés speak for themselves. I trust in the organization to help grow me as a person and a player, to build our team, and I’m ready to take on the challenge.”
Markkanen told ESPN
He also said
“It’s a weight off my shoulders and I can focus only one the main thing now: playing basketball at a high level,” “I don’t stress about it, but you can’t pretend you don’t hear that stuff. It’s a good feeling knowing that I’m going to be in Utah.”
As per the ESPN stats, Lauri is one of the 7-foot players who made 1000+ 3-pointers in NBA history. As per these stats, he got level with Dirk Nowitzki and Channing Frye.
“Once I got traded to Utah, the organization and city immediately embraced me, and it’s been a family-oriented place — especially with me having my own little kids now,” Markkanen told ESPN. “It’s been an easy transition to basketball and easy off the court. I’ve grown comfortable building all of these relationships, and it’s been a great place for me to grow as a person.”
Lauri Markkanen Family
Lauri has basketball in his blood. He belongs to a strong basketball family background where his mother and father both playing basketball.
His father Pekka Markkanen and his mother Riikka Markkanen both are professional basketball players. Pekka is a former professional basketball player who played for the Finland national team. Riikka is a basketball player at club level.
He has two siblings and both are athletes. His older brother Eero is a professional soccer player and his brother Mikka plays basketball.
Lauri Markkanen wife
In the year 2017, Lauri married Finnish model and entrepreneur Verna Aho. They have been dating since their high school days.
They have two children together. Their first child, a son, was born in February 2018, and their second child was born in October 2020. Lauri Markkanen’s children’s names are Alvar Markkanen and his second son’s name is not yet revealed.
Where is Lauri Markkanen from
Lauri Markkanen is from Vantaa, Finland. He is Finnish by nationality.
Who drafted Lauri Markkanen
Lauri Markkanen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 7th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night as part of a deal involving Jimmy Butler.
Lauri Markkanen college
Lauri Markkanen attended the University of Arizona for the 2016-2017 season. As a freshman, he earned first-team All-Pac12 honors. This is a worthy achievement he got during his college basketball career.
Lauri Markkanen College Stats
- Points per game: 15.6
- Rebounds per game: 7.2
- Assists per game: 0.9
- Field goal percentage: 49.2%
- Three-point percentage: 42.3%
- Free throw percentage: 83.5%
What is Lauri Markkanen’s career high?
Lauri Markkanen made a career-high of points 49, which he achieved in a game against the Houston Rockets. He scored 15-for-27 from the field and a perfect 13-for-13 from the free-throw line during that game.
What team does Lauri Markkanen play for?
Lauri Markkanen currently plays for the Utah Jazz.
He also played for the Chicago Bulls (2017-2021) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2021-2022). Since 2022 he has been a prominent player for the Utah Jazz.
Utah Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen has signed a five-year, $238 million contract renegotiation and extension – including $220 million in new money, his agent Michael Lelchitski of @SIGSports tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dFx6pIc2nV
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 7, 2024