Lauri is no stranger to playing on the game's biggest stages.Β
He started playing international basketball in 2015 when he was a star on Finland's national team at the FIBA Under 18 World Championships. Markkanen averaged a tournament-best 18.2 points per game and shot 41.4 percent from 3-point range. He attempted 102 shots in the tournament, 29 of them 3-pointers.Β
Before enrolling at the UA last summer, Markkanen played again for Finland, this time in the FIBA U20 European Championships. HeΒ was the leading scorer in that tourney, averaging 24.9 points a game. He made the all-tournament team.Β
Markkanen also played for the Finnish senior national team in a series of exhibitions last summer. Β He scored 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting against the Polish national team, while adding another 13 points against Russia in the final game.Β
β Bruce Pascoe
