Finland: Lauri Markkanen receives MIP award from NBA

NBA insiders had already guessed: The Finn Lauri Markkanen is the “Most Improved Player” of the current NBA season. The award took place tonight.

Accordingly, most Finnish media are reporting another big day for the most famous conscript of the 2023 class.

Finnish basketball star Lauri Markkanen was woken up early Tuesday morning at the Santahamina military base. He got up at 2 a.m. to receive his NBA Most Improved Player award via video feed.

The moment was broadcast NBA on TNT recorded, which published a YouTube clip.

The Utah Jazz player has had a great season in the NBA, averaging 25.6 points per game and 8.6 rebounds.

That’s a big step up from his previous NBA seasons with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, where he struggled to find his place on the team.

Also competing for the award were Canadian shooting/point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and point guard Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks.

Markkanen by far ahead of the competition

Markkanen’s point average has increased from 14.8 to 25.6 points this season. Nobody could top this increase.

The winner of the award was determined by a vote of 100 basketball journalists. When the journalists voted, the first place received five points, the second place three and the third place one point.

In the final voting, the Finn received a whopping 430 points. Gilgeous-Alexander was second with 289 points and Brunson third with 91 points.

Markkanen is loud The Salt Lake Tribune the first jazz player to receive the award. Markkanen, who is currently doing his military service in Finland, said he hasn’t had time to think about receiving the award.

“But it means a lot to me, so I definitely wanted to wake up and share it with you guys,” Markkanen told the newspaper via video transmission.

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