Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen learned some valuable lessons while serving for the Finnish military over the summer.
The All-Star forward spent the summer learning to camp, shoot a gun and work as a team on the battlefield. The Jazz hope it will also help Markkanen become a stronger leader on the court.
“I’m happy to be focusing on basketball again,” Markkanen said this week. “But I think it’s a good experience for me to have as a leader and moving forward.”Markkanen arrived in Finland not long after last season ended, where he got a fresh buzzcut and embarked on his training. When asked how good of a marksman he had become, Markkanen replied: “Solid.” He added in jest that he hopes it’s better than his near-40% clip from the 3-point line last season.
“I think that was the challenging part — being expected to lead and survive with the stuff that I’ve never done before,” Markkanen said.
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