Utah Jazz was eliminated, the NBA All-Star pitcher enlisted to go to the country to do military service

According to information from ESPN editor Ramona Shelburne, Utah Jazz All-Star pitcher Lauri Markkanen will return to his home country of Finland to fulfill his mandatory military service.

"It's something I'm going to do sooner or later, but it's not about getting it done, it's about doing it proudly," Markkanen said.

“I personally think that I need to do my military service to set an example for many young Finnish athletes. I will work with the physical therapist to make sure that it doesn't interfere with the preparation for the next NBA season."

According to Finnish regulations, all male citizens of this country must complete military service before the age of 30. Lauri Markkanen is now 25 years old and ready to do it before hitting the peak of her career.

Utah Jazz's 2m13 high pitcher said he planned to return to the country to complete the mission a year ago. But then Lauri's team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, won tickets to the play-in round, so he temporarily shelved the idea.

This year the Utah Jazz have just been eliminated from the group that can compete for play-ins and Playoffs, so Lauri Markkanen will be able to focus on completing her military service.

It is known that he will "represent" at a military school in Helsinki in mid-April, trying to complete the task early.In front of Lauri Markkanen is not only the offseason period but also the Basketball World Cup - FIBA ​​World Cup. 2023.

The event will kick off on August 25 in three Asian countries including the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Previously, the Finnish team was expected to reunite in July.

The image of Lauri Markkanen in the national team shirt is probably still bold in the minds of many European basketball fans. He once had a match that scored 43 points in the round of 16, going down in EuroBasket history.

“Of course everyone wants to have a normal summer, rest and exercise to strengthen their body. But this is going to be an extremely busy summer for me. I'm very proud to wear the national team shirt, the experience is always special," shared Lauri Markkanen.

“In terms of military service, I would gladly do it with pride. I've also heard that they have a very good mix of military and physical training, so I'm pretty excited."

Lauri Markkanen just had one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 25.6 points (career-high) along with 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

The 25-year-old pitcher had his first All-Star appearance, playing the number 1 star in the Utah Jazz's attack throughout the season.