By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
While he’s currently in Finland to fulfill military service, Lauri Markkanen has been named the 2022-23 NBA Most Improved Player, beating the other two finalists Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and New York Knicks‘ Jalen Brunson.
The Utah Jazz superstar, who was traded during EuroBasket 2022, got 69 of the 100 first-place votes and appeared on every ballot following a fantastic season with his new team. He averaged 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, all career highs.
He shot 49.9% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc, and 87.5% at the charity stripe, leading the Utah Jazz in scoring and rebounding, while earning the 2023 All-Star Game appearance at home, in Salt Lake City.
Moreover, the Finnish leader is the 7th International player to be named Most Improved following Pascal Siakam, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Goran Dragic, Boris Diaw, Hedo Turkoglu, and Gheorghe Muresan, and the first-ever Utah Jazz player to win such an award.
“Utah is the right place at the right time. Having a big summer that built up my confidence before the season, and then getting into a system in which I could do what I did in EuroBasket, trying to take over. I always give credit to my teammates and staff, to guys finding me when I was open. They made it easy. It feels great. Obviously, it’s a huge privilege to be in this position”, Lauri Markkanen commented.
Lauri Markkanen wins the MIP award 🙌
14.8 PPG | 5.7 RPG ➡️ 25.6 PPG | 8.6 RPG pic.twitter.com/JDn6JW8GQV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 24, 2023
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images