Finland received a major boost ahead of FIBA EuroBasket 2025 as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen confirmed his commitment to represent the national team in the tournament.
Markkanen announced his decision during an interview with Finnish outlet mtv uutiset, saying, via FIBA, “It’s always an honor to put on the Finland jersey,” while expressing excitement for the home games and summer preparation.
The 28-year-old will lead the Susijengi in Tampere, where Finland hosts Group B. The group includes reigning world champions Germany, as well as Lithuania, Great Britain, Montenegro, and Sweden.
Finland will need to finish among the top four in the group to advance to the knockout stage in Riga, Latvia. The tournament runs from August 27 to September 15.
Markkanen has competed in three major international events, including EuroBasket 2017 and 2022 and the FIBA World Cup in 2023. However, he missed the 2024 Olympic Qualifiers due to a shoulder injury.
In 2017, Finland reached the Round of 16 before falling to Italy, and in 2022, they made the Quarter-Finals, finishing seventh. Markkanen was the tournament’s second-leading scorer that year.
“The atmosphere in 2017 was pretty crazy, so we expect the same again,” Markkanen said. “Hopefully, we can improve on those performances.”
This summer, he is setting the bar even higher. “We’re aiming for the medal games, of course. It’s not enough just to play home games – we want to continue the journey to Riga.”
Markkanen appeared in 47 games for the Jazz during the 2024-25 NBA season, averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and shooting 42.3% from the field. Utah finished last in the Western Conference with a 17–65 record.
His presence is expected to be crucial for a Finland squad looking to make a deeper run on home soil. With Germany and Lithuania in the group, advancing will require consistent production from Markkanen and Finland’s supporting cast.
EuroBasket 2025 will run from August 27 to September 15, with Finland hoping to leverage home-court advantage and Markkanen’s leadership to advance deep into the tournament.
