Lauri Markkanen Hype & Appreciation Thread

[Benchwarmer]

This. Not even as good a caricatures you get at a standard county fair in hicksville America. Where did they find these "artists"? I'm beginning to think this is just a joke.

In my nearly 40 years in Finland I have yet to encounter a single Finnish Caricature artist. Everyone I've encountered has been foreign, and even then, there's very few of them around. I guess that gives you an idea of the market, and as we can see, the results of little to none competition.

 

[ONE LOVE]

I nearly cried at the end watching this…


View: https://youtu.be/FvnZIIYwNxk

 

[Ron Mexico]

He's about to be the first back to back winner of the most improved player.

 

[infection]

I nearly cried at the end watching this…


View: https://youtu.be/FvnZIIYwNxk

This was the craziest part for me…



Seeing a deeper three point line randomly out there in the community. But after looking closer, I don’t believe it’s accurate at all. There’s no way that free throw line is 15’.

 

[Step-Back Hook]

This was the craziest part for me…

View attachment 14856

Seeing a deeper three point line randomly out there in the community. But after looking closer, I don’t believe it’s accurate at all. There’s no way that free throw line is 15’.

I measured the FT line is 15 times longer than the shoe of that tall dude. It suggests the FT line is close to what it should be. I assume the tall dude is having a 30cm shoe. The FT line is about right

 

[HermanG]

Youtube keeps pushing all kinds of LM related videos to my feed. Most of them are meh but this one was very interesting and well made despite coming from a very small (100 subs) content provider.

Ignore the title. Dude drops some awesome advanced stats about his PnR, rim protection etc.


View: https://youtu.be/NaMNrWpprSQ

 

[underdog]

Youtube keeps pushing all kinds of LM related videos to my feed. Most of them are meh but this one was very interesting and well made despite coming from a very small (100 subs) content provider.

Ignore the title. Dude drops some awesome advanced stats about his PnR, rim protection etc.


View: https://youtu.be/NaMNrWpprSQ

Thanks for the clip. It’s all about versatility with Lauri. And as his numbers show us, his good defending separates him from many top scorers who can’t defend. Looking forward to his next 4 years. He hasn’t used his top gear yet.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Youtube keeps pushing all kinds of LM related videos to my feed. Most of them are meh but this one was very interesting and well made despite coming from a very small (100 subs) content provider.

Ignore the title. Dude drops some awesome advanced stats about his PnR, rim protection etc.


View: https://youtu.be/NaMNrWpprSQ

Awesome find. Nice job.

 

[Step-Back Hook]

Lauri to Finnish media he has been training point guard/small player skills too this summer.

Lauri
Clarkson
Collins
Hendricks
Kessler

We big enough with this or do we have to get a 7- footer on sg position?

EDIT: For those who do not know - Lauri was a guard as a kid. So I am 100% serious with this!!!!

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Lauri to Finnish media he has been training oint guard/small player skills too this summer.

Lauri
Clarkson
Collins
Hendricks
Kessler

We big enough with this or do we have to get a 7- footer on sg position?

KO can play SG

 

[LogGrad98]

Lauri to Finnish media he has been training point guard/small player skills too this summer.

Lauri
Clarkson
Collins
Hendricks
Kessler

We big enough with this or do we have to get a 7- footer on sg position?

EDIT: For those who do not know - Lauri was a guard as a kid. So I am 100% serious with this!!!!

Just put KO at SG. Done and done.

 

[LogGrad98]

KO can play SG

lol beat me to it.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I don't know how much this has been discussed, but does Markkanen even have a comp at this point?



Who in NBA history has exhibited his combination of size/strength, athleticism/rim-pressure, shooting, positional versatility, and INSANE efficiency?

Oh yeah, and the defensive ability (as @HermanG noted)?


I am not at all saying he is better than KD, but that's the closest comp I come up with. I just don't know who the comp is. Just a really special player and almost by himself made the Mitchell trade worth it.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Get Lauri a co-star.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I don't know how much this has been discussed, but does Markkanen even have a comp at this point?



Who in NBA history has exhibited his combination of size/strength, athleticism/rim-pressure, shooting, positional versatility, and INSANE efficiency?

Oh yeah, and the defensive ability (as @HermanG noted)?


I am not at all saying he is better than KD, but that's the closest comp I come up withThe closest I come up with. I just don't know who the comp is. Just a really special player and almost by himself made the Mitchell trade worth it.

I would compare Lauri more to Giannis than KD in a lot of ways, he's kind of like a mix of both without either's elite aspect (Giannis defense and strength, KD's off the dribble self-creation) that make them a top 5 player.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I would compare Lauri more to Giannis than KD in a lot of ways, he's kind of like a mix of both without either's elite aspect (Giannis defense and strength, KD's off the dribble self-creation) that make them a top 5 player.

Interesting. Obviously, Lauri has shooting that Giannis could only dream of (can you imagine if Giannis could shoot? Yeesh). Dirk gets brought up a lot but Dirk was not a good defensive player and I don't remember him regularly getting up and just yamming on dudes.

 

[LogGrad98]

I don't know how much this has been discussed, but does Markkanen even have a comp at this point?



Who in NBA history has exhibited his combination of size/strength, athleticism/rim-pressure, shooting, positional versatility, and INSANE efficiency?

Oh yeah, and the defensive ability (as @HermanG noted)?


I am not at all saying he is better than KD, but that's the closest comp I come up with. I just don't know who the comp is. Just a really special player and almost by himself made the Mitchell trade worth it.

A young Arvydas Sabonis maybe? Although Lauri is way ahead athletically, young Arvydas was a prototypical big man for today's NBA, way before his time. It is actually one reason he didn't come over sooner, teams did not think his game would translate to the banging inside needed by big men in his time. Lauri is also the better shooter and scorer but Arvydas was no slouch. Maybe that is a decent comp from past times though. In the modern NBA probably more along the lines of what Porz could have been. Lauri could be the true unicorn, a unique player in the league.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1LMU2rZ3XA&ab_channel=ZGL

 

[SoberasHotRod]

It's pretty crazy watching his highlights how smooth he looks, he makes you forget he is a 7-footer.

I would say he doesn't look like a 7-footer except when he dribbles. He's so tall and his arms aren't super long and so he either has to bend over really awkwardly or dribble really high. I'm not sure that's ever going to be a strength for him.

 

[HermanG]

I don't know how much this has been discussed, but does Markkanen even have a comp at this point?



Who in NBA history has exhibited his combination of size/strength, athleticism/rim-pressure, shooting, positional versatility, and INSANE efficiency?

Oh yeah, and the defensive ability (as @HermanG noted)?


I am not at all saying he is better than KD, but that's the closest comp I come up with. I just don't know who the comp is. Just a really special player and almost by himself made the Mitchell trade worth it.

I did try to do this earlier and sort of failed. Dirk comps were all over the media at that point but I felt like those were off and made only due to both being 7 footers, good 3 point shooters, white and European.

Tatum is the best comp that I could think off from current players... He is a good cutter who shoots loads of spot up 3s and also attacks the rim but rarely scores in midrange. But Tatum has way longer touches.

Here is a longer rudimentary analysis based on shooting tendencies:

Funny thing.... I made some comps about Lauri earlier this season but never posted them.

Interesting thing I found out was that Dirk was a really bad comp in many ways. He took 55% from his shots from midrange (10ft-3P) and 22% from close range (0-10ft) and 22% from 3. Lauri is the polar opposite, taking 45% of his shots from close range, 10% from mid range and 45% from 3PT. Another bad comp about Dirk was the play selection. Dirk didnt do cuts, drives, PnR or pin downs as much as Lauri does. However he posted up and played iso a lot more than Lauri. Only thing common is lots of spot ups. Dirk was so much more stationary as a player, while Lauri is a fast dynamic guy who likes to get the ball in speed more.

In terms of shooting areas and play types, the best superstar comp I could find was Jayson Tatum (also 45%, 10%, 45% or so). But on the eyeball test he looks different to me. He dribbles much more and plays iso much more.. but on the other hand he also likes to get the ball on the move and spots up a lot. Doesnt post up much.

I guess its a good thing there is no comp? Most superstars in the history are kinda unique players at least for their era and no one really compares to them well.

 

[HermanG]

I would compare Lauri more to Giannis than KD in a lot of ways, he's kind of like a mix of both without either's elite aspect (Giannis defense and strength, KD's off the dribble self-creation) that make them a top 5 player.

Giannis is the worst shooter of all superstars and not a 3 level scorer by any stretch of imagination... and those are Lauri's biggest strengths. So he is the worst superstar comp in that sense.

I do think both do similar things around the rim which are things that KD doesnt do.. but Giannis does everything better there.