History of Lauri Markkanen in Timeline

Lauri Elias Markkanen, nicknamed "The Finnisher," is a Finnish professional basketball player for the NBA's Utah Jazz and the Finland national team. He hails from a family of athletes, being the son of former basketball players Pekka and Riikka Markkanen, and the younger brother of footballer Eero Markkanen.

1967: Finland's Long Quarterfinal Drought Ends

Finland's victory in 2022 marked their first appearance in the EuroBasket quarterfinals since 1967, a testament to the team's and Markkanen's exceptional performance.

1995: Matching Michael Jordan's Opening Day Record

Lauri Markkanen's performance in the season opener, where he tied his career-high of 35 points, marked the most opening-day points by a Chicago Bull since Michael Jordan in 1995.

May 1997: Birth of Lauri Markkanen

Lauri Markkanen was born in May 1997. He was born into a family of basketball players, with both his parents, Pekka and Riikka Markkanen, having played the sport.

2014: Start of Professional Career with HBA-Märsky

Lauri Markkanen began his professional basketball career in 2014, playing for HBA-Märsky in the Finnish second-tier league.

October 2015: Commitment to Arizona Wildcats

In October 2015, Lauri Markkanen verbally committed to joining the NCAA Division I team, the Arizona Wildcats, for the 2016-2017 season.

2015: Markkanen's International Debut and Scoring Title

Lauri Markkanen made his debut on the international stage with the Finnish U-18 national team at the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. He finished as the championship's leading scorer, averaging an impressive 18.2 points per game.

2016: Conclusion of Time with HBA-Märsky

In 2016, Lauri Markkanen concluded his time with HBA-Märsky.

2016: Markkanen Dominates U-20 European Championship

In 2016, Lauri Markkanen was the top scorer at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, averaging an impressive 24.9 points per game, earning him a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

2016: Signing with Arizona Wildcats and Early Recognition

Lauri Markkanen officially signed a letter of intent with the Arizona Wildcats in 2016. His potential was quickly recognized, with ESPN.com labeling him a potential "one-and-done" candidate for the NBA draft.

January 2017: Pac-12 Player of the Week and National Recognition

Lauri Markkanen's performance in January 2017 earned him the Pac-12 Player of the Week award and recognition as the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week.

March 2017: Career-High Performances against Arizona State

Lauri Markkanen achieved a career-high 30 points against Arizona State on March 4, 2017, during the regular season finale. This game also saw him record his career-high three blocks.

March 2017: All-American and All-Pac-12 Recognition

Lauri Markkanen's outstanding performance earned him recognition on the third team All-American team by various organizations, including the Associated Press and Sporting News, on March 6, 2017. He also received first-team honors for All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Freshman team.

July 2017: Signing with the Chicago Bulls

Lauri Markkanen officially signed with the Chicago Bulls on July 5, 2017, marking the beginning of his NBA journey.

October 2017: NBA Debut and Record-Breaking 3-Pointers

Lauri Markkanen made his NBA debut on October 19, 2017, with the Chicago Bulls, scoring 17 points. He went on to set an NBA record for most 3-pointers in the first three games of a career with ten.

2017: Markkanen Signs with Nike

Following his NBA draft selection in 2017, Lauri Markkanen signed a multi-year shoe sponsorship deal with Nike, a testament to his rising status in the basketball world.

2017: Declaration for the NBA Draft

Following his freshman year, Lauri Markkanen decided to forgo his remaining three years of college eligibility and declared for the 2017 NBA draft.

2017: NBA Draft and Trade

In 2017, Lauri Markkanen was drafted seventh overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves but was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Jimmy Butler.

2017: Markkanen Shines at EuroBasket 2017

Lauri Markkanen represented Finland at the EuroBasket 2017 tournament, partly hosted in his home country. He led the Finnish team to the round of 16, averaging 19.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

January 2018: Career-High Points and 3-Pointers against the Knicks

On January 10, 2018, Lauri Markkanen played a career-high 46 minutes and scored a career-high 33 points, including eight 3-pointers, leading the Chicago Bulls to a win against the New York Knicks. This accomplishment made him only the second seven-foot player in NBA history to achieve eight three-pointers in a single game.

January 2018: Surpassing Finland's Scoring Record

On January 28, 2018, Lauri Markkanen surpassed Hanno Möttölä's record to become the all-time leading scorer among NBA players from Finland.

February 2018: Markkanen Welcomes First Child

Lauri Markkanen and his wife Verna Aho became parents in February 2018 with the birth of their first child, a son.

May 2018: NBA All-Rookie First Team Selection

In recognition of his outstanding performance in his debut season, Lauri Markkanen was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in May 2018.

October 2020: Markkanen's Family Grows Again

Lauri Markkanen and his wife Verna Aho welcomed their second child in October 2020, expanding their family.

January 2021: Season-High 31 Points

Lauri Markkanen achieved a season-high of 31 points on January 30, 2021, in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

August 2021: Trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers

In August 2021, Lauri Markkanen was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal that also involved the Portland Trail Blazers.

March 18, 2022: Season-High 31 Points with the Cavaliers

Lauri Markkanen scored a season-high 31 points, along with 10 rebounds and 4 steals, in a win against the Denver Nuggets on March 18, 2022, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

September 2022: Trade to the Utah Jazz

Lauri Markkanen was traded to the Utah Jazz in September 2022 as part of a deal that sent Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

2022: Impressive Performance with the Utah Jazz

During the 2022-2023 NBA season, Lauri Markkanen showcased his improvement, recording 28 double-doubles in 66 games played for the Utah Jazz.

2022: Markkanen Sets EuroBasket Scoring Record and Leads Finland to Historic Quarterfinals

In the 2022 EuroBasket tournament, Lauri Markkanen etched his name in Finnish basketball history. His 43-point performance against Croatia in the Round of 16 not only secured a victory for Finland but also set a new scoring record for a Finnish player at the EuroBasket. This win propelled Finland to their first quarterfinal appearance in 55 years.

April 17, 2023: Markkanen Begins Military Service

Lauri Markkanen began his mandatory military service in Finland on April 17, 2023, at the Santahamina military base in Helsinki.

April 24, 2023: NBA Most Improved Player Award

Lauri Markkanen was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for the 2022-2023 season, beating out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson.

September 29, 2023: Markkanen Completes Military Service

Lauri Markkanen concluded his mandatory military service in Finland on September 29, 2023, fulfilling his national duty.

November 2023: Markkanen's Near-Record Game Followed by Hamstring Injury

In November 2023, Lauri Markkanen played for 50 minutes, the second-highest of his career, in a game against the Phoenix Suns. He scored a season-high 38 points and achieved another season-high with 17 rebounds. Unfortunately, he also suffered a hamstring injury during the game.

December 2023: Markkanen's Trade Status and Growing Interest

In December 2023, reports surfaced that Lauri Markkanen was no longer considered "untouchable" by the Utah Jazz in trade talks. This news came amidst increasing interest in the player from other teams in the NBA.

December 2023: Markkanen Extends and Upgrades Nike Deal with Personalized Shoes

Lauri Markkanen's partnership with Nike reached new heights in December 2023 when he agreed to an extended and enhanced deal. The new agreement includes customized personal edition shoes featuring "LM23" and "Finnisher" on the heels, highlighting his growing brand within the company.

December 2023: Markkanen Returns from Injury

On December 14, 2023, Lauri Markkanen returned to the Utah Jazz lineup after recovering from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him for eight games.

2023: Markkanen Leads Finland in 2023 FIBA World Cup

Lauri Markkanen led the Finnish national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, averaging 24.8 points and 8 rebounds per game. Despite their efforts, Finland finished 21st out of 32 teams.

2023: Finnish Athlete of the Year

Lauri Markkanen was honored as the Finnish Athlete of the Year in 2023, marking the first time a basketball player received this award.

2023: NBA All-Star and Most Improved Player Award

Lauri Markkanen's career saw a significant upswing in 2023 when he was selected for his first NBA All-Star game and received the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

2023: NBA All-Star Selection and Career-High Points

Lauri Markkanen's performance in 2023 earned him his first NBA All-Star game selection, where he was initially named a reserve but later became a starter due to injuries to other players. He also achieved a career-high 49 points in a game against the Houston Rockets.