Arizona Wildcats basketball: On Markkanen's first Thanksgiving, poor attendance, NBA scouts
- Updated
Seen and heard during the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Finland native Lauri Markkanen chose to spend a year playing college ball in the U.S. in order to improve his game against a different style of play, but heβs also picking up a few other things along the way.
Like Thanksgiving.
The Wildcatsβ early Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday was Markkannenβs first. He ate turkey and all the usual side dishes at the teamβs Las Vegas hotel.
So what did he think?
βIt was OK,β he said.
Then again, the Finnish arenβt known for effusive praise. When the Star posted Markkanenβs impression of the meal online Friday afternoon, that point quickly arrived from Helsinki via Twitter.
βIf a Finn says something is βOKβ, it means βreally goodβ in American English,β tweeted Paavo Rossi, referring to Markkanenβs statement. βWe are masters of understatement.βΒ
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Looks like Rossi is a pretty astute follower of Markkanen and the Wildcats. Also on his (almost all Finnish) Twitter timeline was a list of nicknames for the Finnish big man heβs found on Twitter and forums.
They are:
Baby Dirk
The Finnisher
The Machine
The Big Finnish
White DeathΒ
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
An Arizona graduate, Nevada radio play-by-play broadcaster Ryan Radtke worked Wildcat pregame, halftime and postgame radio shows from 1998 to 2008.
But he only did one actual UA basketball game because, well, Brian Jeffries doesnβt miss many of them.
Over a decade later, Radtke got a chance for UA game No. 2. Jeffries had to return to Tucson on Friday to broadcast the UA-ASU football game, and since Radtke was coming to Las Vegas in his role as Nevadaβs play-by-play announcer (the Wolf Pack will play at UNLV on Saturday) Jeffries asked him if he was interested in filling in.
The answer was an immediate yes.
βI was excited,β Radtke said. βThat I had a chance to be here was awesome.β
It was fitting on many levels. Not only does Radtke still follow the Wildcats, but he also used some audio from the one UA game he did when he put together an audition tape to get the broadcasting job for Nevada basketball and football games.
He got the job, possibly in part because of that one UA game β and that job in turn took him to Las Vegas just when the Wildcats needed him to be there.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Attendance isnβt listed in Las Vegas Invitational box scores and maybe it was somewhat unnecessary.
Aside from Fridayβs final game between Arizona and Butler, when about 3,500 fans showed up, crowds were sparse inside the 9,500-seat Orleans Arena, located west of the Las Vegas Strip.
The good news: Fans could pull up to park for free just a row or three outside the arena doors, and seating was nearly general admission.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Still, roughly 25 NBA scouts showed up to watch Lauri Markkanen and the other NBA prospects involved in the Arizona-Butler game.
Among them: Cavaliers general manager David Griffin, A Phoenix native and ASU grad who worked for the Suns for 17 years .. . and now has an NBA championship ring.
Griffin said former Wildcats Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson played key roles in building the Cavaliersβ chemistry last season.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas formally announced its 2017 field: Arizona, Villanova, Purdue, N.C. State, Tennessee, SMU, Western Kentucky and Northern Iowa.
The games will be played at the Atlantis resort outside of Nassau between Nov. 22-24, 2017.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
1.5: Points that both Arizonaβs football and basketball teams were considered underdogs at many Las Vegas sports books on Friday.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
βHe has a big upside.β β UA coach Sean Miller on freshman Kobi Simmons, who played well off the bench Thursday and scored all 12 of his points in the second half Friday.
Finland native Lauri Markkanen chose to spend a year playing college ball in the U.S. in order to improve his game against a different style of play, but heβs also picking up a few other things along the way.
Like Thanksgiving.
The Wildcatsβ early Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday was Markkannenβs first. He ate turkey and all the usual side dishes at the teamβs Las Vegas hotel.
So what did he think?
βIt was OK,β he said.
Then again, the Finnish arenβt known for effusive praise. When the Star posted Markkanenβs impression of the meal online Friday afternoon, that point quickly arrived from Helsinki via Twitter.
βIf a Finn says something is βOKβ, it means βreally goodβ in American English,β tweeted Paavo Rossi, referring to Markkanenβs statement. βWe are masters of understatement.βΒ
Looks like Rossi is a pretty astute follower of Markkanen and the Wildcats. Also on his (almost all Finnish) Twitter timeline was a list of nicknames for the Finnish big man heβs found on Twitter and forums.
They are:
Baby Dirk
The Finnisher
The Machine
The Big Finnish
White DeathΒ
An Arizona graduate, Nevada radio play-by-play broadcaster Ryan Radtke worked Wildcat pregame, halftime and postgame radio shows from 1998 to 2008.
But he only did one actual UA basketball game because, well, Brian Jeffries doesnβt miss many of them.
Over a decade later, Radtke got a chance for UA game No. 2. Jeffries had to return to Tucson on Friday to broadcast the UA-ASU football game, and since Radtke was coming to Las Vegas in his role as Nevadaβs play-by-play announcer (the Wolf Pack will play at UNLV on Saturday) Jeffries asked him if he was interested in filling in.
The answer was an immediate yes.
βI was excited,β Radtke said. βThat I had a chance to be here was awesome.β
It was fitting on many levels. Not only does Radtke still follow the Wildcats, but he also used some audio from the one UA game he did when he put together an audition tape to get the broadcasting job for Nevada basketball and football games.
He got the job, possibly in part because of that one UA game β and that job in turn took him to Las Vegas just when the Wildcats needed him to be there.Β
Attendance isnβt listed in Las Vegas Invitational box scores and maybe it was somewhat unnecessary.
Aside from Fridayβs final game between Arizona and Butler, when about 3,500 fans showed up, crowds were sparse inside the 9,500-seat Orleans Arena, located west of the Las Vegas Strip.
The good news: Fans could pull up to park for free just a row or three outside the arena doors, and seating was nearly general admission.Β
Still, roughly 25 NBA scouts showed up to watch Lauri Markkanen and the other NBA prospects involved in the Arizona-Butler game.
Among them: Cavaliers general manager David Griffin, A Phoenix native and ASU grad who worked for the Suns for 17 years .. . and now has an NBA championship ring.
Griffin said former Wildcats Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson played key roles in building the Cavaliersβ chemistry last season.Β
The Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas formally announced its 2017 field: Arizona, Villanova, Purdue, N.C. State, Tennessee, SMU, Western Kentucky and Northern Iowa.
The games will be played at the Atlantis resort outside of Nassau between Nov. 22-24, 2017.Β
1.5: Points that both Arizonaβs football and basketball teams were considered underdogs at many Las Vegas sports books on Friday.Β
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