Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen wins NBA Most Improved award
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Lauri Markkanen boosted his scoring average by an NBA-best 10.87 points a game this season.
PHOTO: AFP
NEW YORK – Finnish forward Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz was named the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) 2023 Most Improved Player on Monday after boosting his scoring average by nearly 11 points a game.
The 25-year-old earned his first All-Star selection this season and finished with career highs of 25.6 points and 1.9 assists a game.
Markkanen, who increased his scoring average by an NBA-best 10.8 points a game this campaign, also had career-best shooting averages of 49.9 per cent from the floor and 87.5 per cent from the free throw line for the Jazz.
“It feels amazing,” he told broadcaster TNT from Helsinki, where he is fulfilling Finland’s military service requirements.
“It’s a huge privilege to be in this position.”
The 2.13m player, whose parents were both pro basketball players, was selected seventh overall by Minnesota in the 2017 NBA draft and played for Chicago and Cleveland before being traded to Utah last September in the deal that sent Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers.
“Just being in the right place at the right time,” Markkanen added of his season.
“I really wasn’t the isolation player this year. I always give credit to guys finding me when I was open.
“I just tried to show up every night and be consistent.
“I really tried to learn and step into that leadership role in the locker room. I’m still working on that.”
He is the first European player to capture the award since Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee in 2017 and the first Jazz player to win the award.
Other finalists for the award were New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson from the United States and Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Separately, former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka has agreed a deal to take over as coach of the Houston Rockets, according to multiple media reports on Monday.
The Houston Chronicle and ESPN cited unnamed sources that said a deal had been struck for Udoka to take charge of a team who went 22-60 this season, missing the play-offs for the third consecutive campaign.
Udoka, considered a top contender for the vacant Toronto Raptors job, was suspended by the Celtics last September for an improper workplace relationship with a subordinate.
Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla was made Boston’s interim head coach until he was handed the position on a permanent basis in February.
The Rockets spoke with league and Celtics officials about the matter before making the offer to Udoka, ESPN reported. AFP
