This was expected to be a long and tough season for the Utah Jazz.
They traded Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and were expected to be one of the worst teams in the league in an attempt to draft Victor Wembanyama.
And even though their solid start to the season is now in the rearview mirror, the Jazz may have found a gem in that Mitchell trade.
Former first-round pick Lauri Markkanen is having a breakout season and playing like a legit All-Star.
He failed to live up to his potential with the Chicago Bulls and was nothing more than a role player with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Now, he’s averaging 24.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 3.1 three-pointers per game on 52/42/87 shooting splits and is fresh off a career-best 49-point performance.
A big night for Lauri Markkanen 🎷
▪️ 49 PTS (career-high)
▪️ 8 REB
▪️ 6 3PMJazz 131, Rockets 114.
📸 @utahjazz pic.twitter.com/fDZZOhOaRp— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 6, 2023
Maybe, all he needed was just a change of scenery to finally be at his best.
Nonetheless, he gives his teammates most of the credit for his career year:
“My teammates, that’s all it is,” Markkanen said after the game. “The coaching staff are putting me in great situations to succeed, and my teammates are delivering me the ball and have the trust in me.”
“We all wear hoodies with his face on it, so you know how we feel about him,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said of the Finish. “Just spectacular.”
Markkanen is yet another example of why we shouldn’t rule out young players so early in their careers.
He’s just 25 years old, and the sky seems to be the limit for him right now.
NEXT: The Jazz's Biggest Star Is A Possible All-Star