Lauri Elias Markkanen famously known as Lauri Markkanen is a Finnish professional basketball player who plays in the National Basketball Association for Chicago Bulls. He has also previously played for the other NBA basketball team, Minnesota Timberwolves.
He was picked 7th overall in the 2017 NBA draft by Timberwolves.
As of 2019, Lauri Markkanen has an estimated net worth over $3 million.
Currently under 2 year / $8,357,760 contract with the Chicago Bulls, in 2018-19, Markkanen will earn a base salary of $4,536,120, while carrying a cap hit of $4,536,120 and a dead cap value of $4,536,120.
It is estimated his salary significantly rise to $5,300,400 and $6,731,508 for the next two season.
Markkanen’s yearly salary is expected to be $9,026,952 for the final season as per the current contract.
It was reported that he bought a car for mother after signing with the NBA in 2017.
His girlfriend, Verna Aho gave birth to his first child which in early 2018. The couple is dating each other for 3 years and Verna moved to Chicago a year before to be with her boyfriend.
According to the Finnish reports, the couple is married however there is no official confirmation.
Lauri Markkanen is Finnish by nationality. He was born to mother, Riikka Ellonen, and father, Pekka Markkanen on May 22, 1997, in Vantaa, Finland.
He comes from a basketball playing background family as both his father and mother played basketball professionally and two brothers, Miikka and Eero Makken who are professional footballers.
Markkanen started his playing career in basketball with a local Finnish basketball team, HoNsU and later on played with the another, the Finnish team, HBA Marsky from 2014 to 2016 season.
Markkanen moved to the United States of America and signed with the American basketball team, Arizona Wildcats Men's Basketball team in 2015.
He came into prominence when he scored 30 points against Arizona State and also recorded 13 rebounds in three separate occasions against basketball team such as Northern Colorado, Washington State, and Washington in 2016/17 season.
After his finishing his freshman season at the college, he focuses his attention on the NBA.
He was drafted and picked as the seventh entry in the first round of the NBA draft that took place in 2017 by NBA basketball team, Minnesota Timberwolves.
During the draft nights, the Finnish basketball player along with players such as Zach Lavine as well as Kris Dunn for Jimmy Butler to fellow NBA basketball team, Chicago Bulls in the summer of 2017.
He made his debut in 2017 and scored 17 points in his debut match and made an NBA record for highest 3 points scored in the first three games of an NBA career.
Markkanen was lent number 24 jersey which was worn by the former player, Brian Scalabrine.
He recorded a career-high 32 points with 7 rebounds in a win against Indiana Pacers in December 2017.
Markkanen later created more history as he became only the second basketball player after, Dirk Nowitzki after he recorded 33 points with a career-high eight three-pointers in the double time game against New York Knicks.
He recorded 17 points against Milwaukee Bucks that put his tally NBA point to 721 this breaking the record of another Finnish player, Hanno Mottola who had 715 career points to name.
He made his international debut for the Finnish basketball team at the U18 FIBA Euro Championship in 2015.
Markkanen was the top scorer with an average match score of 24.9 points per match in FIBA Europe U20 Championship. He also played for the senior team at EuroBasket tournament in 2017 and helped the team to go to the round of 16.
