Lauri Markkanen’s sixth NBA season will end Sunday unless the Utah Jazz sneak into the play-in tournament. He’ll have a different offseason than other NBA stars.
Per ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne, Markkanen will serve in the Finnish military, which all of Finland’s male citizens must complete by age 30.
“It’s mandatory. We have to do it, but at the same time we take pride in it, too,” Markkanen said. “I think it sets an example to serve. And I’m confident I can do it in a way that it’s not going to affect my preparation for next season, either.”
Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen intends to fulfill his mandatory service in the Finnish military this offseason, he told @ramonashelburne.
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Markkanen has averaged 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in his first season with the Jazz. The 25-year-old made his first All-Star appearance earlier this year.
If Utah doesn’t make the playoffs, Markkanen will report for service at a Helsinki base on April 17. If the Jazz climb the Western Conference standings during their final three games, he’ll instead arrive in July.
He planned on serving last year, but the Cleveland Cavaliers making the play-in tournament created a scheduling conflict.
Markkanen will serve alongside other professional and amateur athletes at the Defence Forces’ Sports School, which aims to train reconnaissance squads for emergency and wartime conditions.”
“Of course I’d rather be working out like I normally do [in the offseason], but I’ve heard they do a good job of combining the two,” he said. You’re able to do your job working as an athlete and your basic training at the same time.”
Finland became the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Tuesday.
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