Arizona Basketball: Lauri Markkanen is tearing it up since his return

Arizona Basketball star Lauri Markkenan is taking no prisoners when it comes to game day in Chicago.

The stretch four is becoming a position of high demand both in the college ranks and even at the NBA level. Coaches need a guy who can stretch the defense all the way out to the three point arc. Scouts look fort height and size to post up in the block and score from the paint. Throw in the ability to dribble and create their own shot will have most coaches drooling. Lauri Markkanen is all that and more as he embarks on his second year in the NBA.

It just seems like a few days ago that the University of Arizona and coach Sean Miller gained the commitment from a young gun out of Finland. While the scouting reports would suggest that Lauri had to tools to get it done in the United States at the collegiate level many would have never guess this type of success .

Arizona Wildcats

It only took a few games wearing the red and blue to realize that Arizona basketball found themselves a gem from overseas. He quickly showed the ability to stroke it from beyond the arc along with the strength to score from down low. Watching Lauri shoot the ball was like straight out of a textbook and every shot that left his hand just felt like it was going to tickle the twine. Lauri final line for his career as a Wildcat was 15 points per a game and 7 rebounds.

While these stats are impressive it was all the intangibles that Lauri brought to the court including something that can’t be coached which is his height at seven feet tall. This lead him to being drafted in the 2017 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the seventh pick overall. Lauri would not be a part of the Timberwolves organization for long as he was soon traded to Chicago in deal that included NBA all-star Jimmy Butler.

It did not take long for Lauri to get adjusted to the NBA style of play or the bright lights of playing as a Chicago Bull in the house that Michael Jordan built. As he impressed at every turn with his ability to score the basketball. In his rookie season Lauri finished the season averaging 15 points a game while shooting .434 percent from the field.

After such a promising rookie season in the NBA, Lauri was eager to get to the court and continue to improve on his success. Unfortunately Lauri would suffer a set back in training camp with an elbow injury that would keep him out from the beginning of the season.

Lauri wasted not time making him self known once he returned to the Chicago Bulls lineup. In coming back, Lauri has proved a boost in scoring which included games of 21,24,23 and his last game where he scored 32 points. Not only did he score the ball at will he did it against another former Wildcat Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic.

While Lauri got the best of the matchup both in the box score and the final score. Aaron Gordon did get his revenge with a massive block against his fellow Wildcat.

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These were not the only two Wildcats that could be found in Chicago that night as Rawle Alkins got the call to the NBA earlier this week. It was a Wildcat  reunion in Chicago and it was such a fun sight to see, now if the Bulls coaching staff would just wake up and play the two together, there may be no stopping them adding Kris Dunn and others on the roster.

As fans of Arizona Basketball it will sure be fun too see how the rest of the season plays out and what other Wildcats will put there mark on the NBA this season. As always Go ‘Cats and BearDown!