Lauri Elias Markkanen is a Finnish professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Finnisher", he is the son of Finnish basketball players Pekka and Riikka Markkanen, and the younger brother of footballer Eero Markkanen.
Starting his career with HBA-Märsky in the Finnish second-tier league, Markkanen moved to the United States and played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, where he earned First-team All-Pac-12 honors in his lone year with the team. He was selected seventh overall in the 2017 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being included in a draft-night trade to the Chicago Bulls for Jimmy Butler. Following a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Markkanen experienced a career resurgence in his first year with the Jazz, earning his first All-Star selection and winning the Most Improved Player Award in 2023.
| Utah Jazz Current Roster |
|---|
| 00 Clarkson • 0 Hendricks • 2 Sexton • 3 George • 5 Williams • 11 Springer • 13 Collier • 16 Harkless (TW) • 19 Mykhailiuk • 20 Collins • 22 Filipowski • 23 Markkanen • 24 Kessler • 25 Potter (TW) • 28 Sensabaugh • 33 Juzang • 44 Tshiebwe (TW) • 99 Martin |
| Players who left during the season: 8 Mills • 10 Preston • 15 Eubanks • 18 Jones García |
| Head coach: Hardy • Assistant coaches: Higgins • Morrison • Sheldon • Terry • Williams |