NBA
LM
#23

Lauri Markkanen

Forward · Utah Jazz · 7'1", 240 lb · Born May 22, 1997 · Vantaa, Finland · Drafted 7th overall, 2017
2023 MIPAll-Star (2023)🇫🇮 FinlandThe Finnisher
NBAUtah JazzForwards
Compare:vs Baileyvs Sensabaughvs Colliervs Jr.vs Nurkicvs George
In short

Lauri Markkanen is a 7-foot-1 Finnish stretch forward and the franchise star of the Utah Jazz — an elite shooter at his size and the 2023 Most Improved Player. Drafted 7th in 2017 out of Arizona, he broke out in Utah with a first All-Star selection, is Finland's all-time leading NBA scorer, and signed a five-year, $238 million extension as the highest-earning Finnish athlete ever.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceFri, Nov 13
vsWashington WizardsAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
26.7
range 22.6–30.8
Line 26.5
52%
to go over
Team win
62%
114–112
Poi 26.7 Lean overReb 6.9 Lean underAss 2.1 Lean overPRA 35.7 Lean over
Likely on himBilal Coulibaly· 82 Perimeter DStrong defender
20+ pts93%25+ pts65%30+ pts23%

Model lines Markkanen at 26.7 pts (range 22.6–30.8) vs a 26.5 line — a lean to clear it (52%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Markkanen
The Markkanen Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A 7-foot-1 Finnish stretch forward and franchise star — elite shooting at size, 'The Finnisher.'

Son of two pro players, Markkanen starred at Arizona before being drafted 7th in 2017.

🏫 Arizona · 7th, 2017🇫🇮 Vantaa

After the Bulls and Cavaliers, he broke out in Utah — 25.6 a game and Most Improved Player.

2023 MIP25.6 ppg

He earned his first All-Star selection and signed a five-year, $238M extension.

All-Star 20235 yr / $238M

Finland's all-time NBA scorer, he led his country to a best-ever EuroBasket finish.

🇫🇮 all-time scorerEuroBasket 4th
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
26.7
2025-26
RPG
6.9
per game
APG
2.1
per game
FG%
.477
.355 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A 7-foot-1 Finnish stretch forward and franchise star — elite shooting at size, 'The Finnisher.'

Lauri Markkanen was born in Vantaa, Finland to two professional basketball players and starred one season at Arizona before Minnesota drafted him 7th in 2017 and traded him to Chicago. After stops with the Bulls and Cavaliers, he found a home in Utah.

He broke out with the Jazz in 2022-23 — averaging 25.6 points a game, winning Most Improved Player, and earning his first All-Star selection. Finland's all-time leading NBA scorer and the highest-earning Finnish athlete ever, he signed a five-year, $238 million extension as the franchise's cornerstone.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Markkanen is Finnish basketball royalty — the son of pro players Pekka and Riikka, a husband and father of three, and a national hero who led Finland to a best-ever fourth place at EuroBasket 2025 while averaging 23 points a game. An ice-hockey fan who completed Finnish military service, he was the first NBA All-Star born in a Nordic country.

His on-court identity is elite shooting at size — a true 7-footer who scores efficiently from all three levels, spaces the floor, and rebounds, a matchup nightmare as a stretch forward. His breakout in Utah, capped by an All-Star nod and a franchise-record contract, established him as one of the league's premier stretch bigs and the Jazz's centerpiece.

PERSONALITY

The person

An elite stretch forward — floor-spacing shooting at 7-foot-1, efficient scoring, and rebounding.

Elite shooterA 7-footer who shoots the three at an elite clip.
Most ImprovedWon the 2023 award with a breakout 25.6-point season.
Finnish starFinland's all-time leading NBA scorer and a national hero.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Stretch Forward · No. 1 Option
Temperament
Alpha
Leadership
70/100
Scoring91
Playmaking42
Rebounding67
Perimeter D62
Rim protection48
Spacing63
Athleticism78
Clutch84
Elite stretch scorerSeven-foot shooterAll-Star
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

A matchup-nightmare stretch big

Markkanen's value is elite shooting at rare size — a true 7-foot-1 forward who scores efficiently from all three levels (around 25 a game in his peak Utah seasons), spaces the floor, and rebounds. That combination makes him a matchup nightmare and the offensive centerpiece of the Jazz, a genuine franchise scorer.

The franchise cornerstone

His 2023 breakout — Most Improved Player, an All-Star nod, and a franchise-record extension — cemented him as one of the league's best stretch bigs. Locked in long-term, his scoring and shooting anchor Utah's rebuild; the question for the franchise is building a contender around a player who is, at his best, a 25-point-a-game efficient star.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-264234.426.76.92.1.477.355

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2023NBA Most Improved Player and first All-Star selection with Utah
FinlandFinland's all-time leading NBA scorer; led Finland to a best-ever EuroBasket finish (2025)
2024Signed a five-year, $238 million extension — highest-earning Finnish athlete ever

Hardware

1×
Most Improved Player (2023)
1×
NBA All-Star (2023)
1×
All-Rookie First Team (2018)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

An elite stretch forward and franchise cornerstone — the Jazz's centerpiece scorer.

Markkanen remains Utah's franchise centerpiece — an elite 7-foot-1 shooter and efficient scorer averaging in the mid-20s, locked in on a five-year, $238 million extension. He is one of the league's best stretch bigs; the franchise's task is building a contender around him.

ShootingElite
ScoringElite
ReboundingStrong
PlaymakingModest

Contract

Deal
5 yr / $238M signed 2024
Peak
2023 MIP All-Star
Age
29 prime
Bottom line

A 7-foot-1 elite shooter and efficient 25-point scorer — the franchise cornerstone of the Jazz and one of the league's premier stretch forwards.

FAQ

Quick answers

What makes Lauri Markkanen special?

Elite shooting and scoring at 7-foot-1 — a stretch forward who scores efficiently from all three levels, won 2023 Most Improved Player, and is Finland's all-time leading NBA scorer.

Is Lauri Markkanen an All-Star?

Yes — he made his first All-Star team in 2023, the year he won Most Improved Player with Utah.

Where is Lauri Markkanen from?

Vantaa, Finland — the son of two professional basketball players and a national basketball hero.