Lauri Markkanen praises new All-Star World team format

Sep 19, 2025 6:28 PM

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is intrigued by the NBA’s newly announced All-Star Game format, which will include a team composed entirely of international players.

Speaking with Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews, the Finnish star said he believes the change could inject new life into the midseason showcase.

“There’s always pride when you’re representing your country, or in this case the world, and I think it’s going to be a fun format and hopefully I can be a part of it,” Markkanen said.

The revised setup will divide the All-Stars into three squads of eight players each, with Team World joining two U.S.-based teams in a round-robin format.

For Markkanen, who became an All-Star in 2023 but has battled injuries since, the prospect of joining forces with international stars is appealing.

He appeared in just 55 games two years ago and 47 last season, but at age 28 remains central to Utah’s long-term plans.

Reports this summer suggested the Jazz have no intention of trading him, despite the four years and nearly $196MM left on his contract.

Markkanen showed flashes of his prime form this summer by powering Finland to the EuroBasket semifinals, averaging 26 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists across six games to earn second-team all-tournament recognition.

That success has only heightened his anticipation for the All-Star format.

Asked who he would select for Team World’s starting five, Markkanen named Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

He acknowledged the depth of talent available, with Franz Wagner, Alperen Sengun, Domantas Sabonis, and Karl-Anthony Towns among those who could also be considered.

“There are no bad options there. I think it’s a list of really good players, and it’s going to come down to team success and how players perform in each and every year,” Markkanen explained.

“And so I think the format is going to be fun to compete against the USA teams, and we’ll see who makes the team.”