The Finnish national basketball team will be captained by Lauri Markkanen, an NBA star with the Utah Jazz, in the upcoming European Championship. After a challenging season for the Jazz, who posted a dismal 17-65 record, Markkanen has ample time to recuperate from his injury and gear up for the continental tournament.

For the second time in eight years, Finland will host the group stage matches of the European Championship. Unlike in 2017, when Helsinki was the venue, this year’s matches will take place in Tampere. Besides Finland, Montenegro, Germany, Lithuania, Sweden, and Great Britain will vie for advancement from Group B, with four teams progressing to the knockout phase in Riga, Latvia.

“I’m enjoying a fantastic summer with the Finnish national team and can’t wait for EuroBasket,” Markkanen shared in anticipation.

Markkanen highlighted the significance of representing his country, noting that playing for the national team is invaluable for his preparation for the NBA season.

“I’ve always performed my best when playing for the national team prior to the NBA season. Honestly, that’s when I feel both physically and mentally at my peak. I’m looking forward to this summer and the opportunity to compete with my national team,” he expressed sincerely.

The Utah player is optimistic about Finland’s prospects in the continental competition.

“We have a solid team, and I hope we can achieve a commendable result and a successful run,” Markkanen stated.

He reminisced about the 2017 EuroBasket, where Finland secured second place in Group A, hosted in Helsinki, suffering just one defeat. The Finns lost only to Slovenia, while overcoming France, Poland, Iceland, and Greece. In the round of 16 in Istanbul, they faced a defeat against Italy.

“I have vivid memories of EuroBasket 2017. The arenas were packed for every game, making it exciting, with very competitive matches,” Markkanen recalled, who averaged 19 points and 5.9 rebounds in the NBA this past season despite dealing with injuries, participating in a total of 47 games.

Finland is set to face Montenegro in the third round of EuroBasket, with their match scheduled for August 30th.

The European Championship will take place from August 27 to September 14.

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