What's new

Lauri Markkanen Hype & Appreciation Thread

Imagine 35 yo Lauri in your team. With that attitude, sportsmanship, vision, and experience. Mentorship.

No rookie would ever feel too uneasy.

That deep is the Jazz, potentially.
 
Holy crap that is so so satisfying
The one on gobert and the one on Jokic are probably my two favorite. Love that Jokic goes flying out of bounds. Poor Vuc got in 2 posters.

I didn't realize he was crazy athletic like this when we traded for him...some of these dunks are absolutely ridiculous. Such a fun player to watch.
 
1. Rules on "winning something" are obsolete. Kalle Rovanperä won. jadajdajda "Motorsport isn't sport', something."
2. Exceptional. They couldn't recognize Lauri as such, or find more expectional than him.
3. Professional sports journalists control the public opinion in Finland via Media, including YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Corporation / State Media (and it's policies).
4. Markkanen won't have to win anything to be the greatest athlete DE FACTO in Finland if he continue his recent way in NBA, totally regardless of DE JURE bs related to these votings.
5. Awards tend to dishonor those who are themselves aware of that they are not the right address.
6. Organizations will shame themselves for their inability to chance the error perceived order of value of things.
7. Both Pukki and Räikkönen would recognize Lauri Markkanen as "GOATer than themselves", even if they would be in their prime or not retired. Again, public media induced perception.
8. To not to believe Lauri Markkanen is the currently the Greatest Finnish Athlete, is caused by perception bias. Thus misdirected voting by the audiences.

Ultimately, it all doesn't even matter.

A great artist, student of the sport doesn't usually get deserved respect when he/she does the active career stuff. That comes later, particularly in Finland. Unless it is about skiing.
This! I think.
 
These fan votes should be stopped. CA fans dominating the votes too much.

Imagine being Derrick Rose and hearing your 12.9 MPG and 5.8 PPG season has put you to top 10 while Bam doesnt even make the list.

Also Austin Reaves, Kevon Looney.. how low you had to scroll to find them?
 
Let's get Lauri's national team mate in 2024 draft for the bench mob! He is pass first guard. If he gets his outside shot going with a bit more volume we could make him a Conley-lite!


Miro Little

The finnish national closed the weekend with a modest 9 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds per game, but it was all he does that doesn't find it's way into the box score that was the most glaring. In his first season since coming over, there was certainly an adjustment period early but the 6-4 guard has steadily settled for Sunrise. Came away highly impressed by Little's feel as a connector on the offensive end, ability to guard up on the defensive end given his strength and overall acumen for when to pick his spots versus when to get into the flow of offense. Tough schedule on the weekend led to a pair of contested games, and it was the Baylor bound guard calling out plays and asking Barnwell and co. to run specific sets down the stretch. At 6-4 with a pass, dribble, shoot skillset to go with a high basketball IQ and noteworthy intangibles, it's no secret as to why Little was so highly touted at the next level prior to playing a single game in the United States.

--------------------------------------------------

It is off-topic but the thought of it would be so cool lol.
Would for sure make Lauri's off-court life even better!

Speaking of Miro, Jonathan Givony from ESPN mentioned him in his draft article today:

Image1674242926.903576.jpg
Image1674242932.849732.jpg

He is currently the 33rd ranked prospect in the 2023 class.
 
Speaking of Miro, Jonathan Givony from ESPN mentioned him in his draft article today:


He is currently the 33rd ranked prospect in the 2023 class.

^^ Indeed. As he is not going to be likeliest ones to get among the highest draftees of 2024 jazz could target him for depth piece - there is that 1st rounder and two 2nds rn and quite sure Ainge is getting us even more picks lol.

The brand of basketball Hardy is trying to run he would be a fit in the rotation and knows well Lauri's strengths. He was there in the Eurobasket and did better I thought against grown men.
 
Miro is just a pipe dream for Finns to end up with the Jazz. I mean, Ainge is not gonna care whether he's drafting a Finn or a Martian. He might have a very small "hometown" edge as Lauri might drop a "hey, have you taken a look at that Baylor kid..." and the Finnish national team coaches visit SLC, talk to Hardy and management. But he won't be picked just because of that.

Although, Little is definitely getting on some radars. He came into the US a total unknown, not listed anywhere etc. - despite Eurobasket. Now he's on the short list for the McD AllStar game, probably gonna end up on the top25 recruits list, getting press. And if he does his thing at Baylor he just might be a 1st round pick in a year or two. But even then, there's 30 teams picking.

He has all of the "Finnish traits" a team like the Jazz would like: team-oriented, coachable, adaptable, unselfish. And also some of the "bad" that led to one Finn only fully realizing his potential in his 6th year: too nice, maybe not forceful enough, isn't gonna think the light is green as soon as he steps off the bus, won't go in thinking "I'm gonna dunk on this punk first play".
 
Miro is just a pipe dream for Finns to end up with the Jazz. I mean, Ainge is not gonna care whether he's drafting a Finn or a Martian. He might have a very small "hometown" edge as Lauri might drop a "hey, have you taken a look at that Baylor kid..." and the Finnish national team coaches visit SLC, talk to Hardy and management. But he won't be picked just because of that.

Although, Little is definitely getting on some radars. He came into the US a total unknown, not listed anywhere etc. - despite Eurobasket. Now he's on the short list for the McD AllStar game, probably gonna end up on the top25 recruits list, getting press. And if he does his thing at Baylor he just might be a 1st round pick in a year or two. But even then, there's 30 teams picking.

He has all of the "Finnish traits" a team like the Jazz would like: team-oriented, coachable, adaptable, unselfish. And also some of the "bad" that led to one Finn only fully realizing his potential in his 6th year: too nice, maybe not forceful enough, isn't gonna think the light is green as soon as he steps off the bus, won't go in thinking "I'm gonna dunk on this punk first play".

I'm sorry but I think you might be lost about the definition of "pipe dream". It means something almost impossible to happen.
For example: someone telling 12 months ago Lauri is a candidate to be all-nba is much, much closer to that term than this off-topic thought of acquiring his fellow Finn in the future.
Considering some prospect whose fit, age and projected range in 33th of 2024 draft with this team having two 2nd rounders and one 1st rounder at the moment, and a team that has zero true floor generals fitting the timeline of contending... And suggesting to *maybe* consider a this good sized combo guard to add into the depth of this rebuilding team, whose front star is both his friend and also a fit on how Lauri and this team seems to be molding to be... It's not a pipe dream - just an exiting thought for Finns. At the moment I would even go as far as saying Salt Lake City is one of the most probable landing sots for him if he gets drafted into NBA. This prospect has "Hardy" written all over him, and in the modern era of NBA these kind of guards have become more and more rare.

But I think I have now said enough about this off-topic I originally caused lol.

And something ON topic: Seems all Lauri's shirts in Vivint Arena are sold out and even the following set of them as well. Lauri's coach was visiting there and was glad to notice how his merchandise is the hottest stuff right now.
 
I'm sorry but I think you might be lost about the definition of "pipe dream". It means something almost impossible to happen.
Yes, exactly, close to impossible.

Little might stay at Baylor 1, 2, 3 or 4 years. College freshmen rarely declare and leave school if they're not looking at somewhat certain 1st round pick. Unless they're prepared for one or two years in the G league, which might or might not be better for them than staying at a good school.

In 2024-2027 he might be a 1st rd pick, 2nd rd pick or undrafted. HS players in their senior season ranked in the top25 can be one-and-done phenoms or they might not start in college for two seasons.

The Jazz might or might not need a PG at that time. And if they do, there's a dozen options. And all other 29 teams might or might not have a suitable pick and interest at that time. Lauri might not be with the Jazz then, Hardy might not be. The Jazz might have the picks they have right now or not. Maybe they don't have any picks, maybe they have three lottery picks.

There's a million different things that can happen. All the stars would have to align for Little to end up with the Jazz at the same time as Markkanen.
 
So when the vote ended? Hope Lauri maake it !!
He is 8th at worst if press rallies Sabonis past him but since they notorious about looking at availability they wont vote much for PG, AD or Zion. Wiggins likely also behind Lauri in their ballots.

Players are homers but Lauri has been in few different teams so he might get extra votes from former teammates (Cavs in particular).

My guess is he ends up 6th in West frountcourt.
 
Can someone breakdown how the voting works?

I thought the starters are voted in by some formula: fan vote + player vote + coaches vote

Then the rest of the team is picked by the coaches.

Then any reserves are picked by the commissioner.

Can someone post how it actually works?
 
Can someone breakdown how the voting works?

I thought the starters are voted in by some formula: fan vote + player vote + coaches vote

Then the rest of the team is picked by the coaches.

Then any reserves are picked by the commissioner.

Can someone post how it actually works?
Yeah thats correct except the bolded part should be press (not coaches).

Head coaches specifically pick all the reserves (3 FC, 2 BC and 2 Flex from each conference) and afaik commissioner only picks injury replacements if those are needed.

Could be wrong but I'm pretty sure thats how it works.
 
Yeah thats correct except the bolded part should be press (not coaches).

Head coaches specifically pick all the reserves (3 FC, 2 BC and 2 Flex from each conference) and afaik commissioner only picks injury replacements if those are needed.

Could be wrong but I'm pretty sure thats how it works.

Thanks, I stopped being lazy and looked it up. The starters are picked based on 50% fans, 25% players, and 25% media.
 
Back
Top