The Japanese who grew up in Finland confused Markkase.
NBA star Lauri Markkanen ran into a fan in Salt Lake City on Saturday who had traveled a long way to meet him.
A person carrying a cardboard sign was waiting for Markkas, representing Utah, in the stands. On the sign, he said that he was born in Japan, but grew up in Finland.
“I traveled 9,000 kilometers to see Lauri and the Utah Jazz,” the sign read.
Markkanen gave the fan his number and exchanged a few words.
“Sorry, I don't speak Finnish, because I was at an international school in Helsinki. I was in Okinawa at the World Cup watching you,” he said in a social media video shared by Jazz.
“Did you support Finland or Japan?” Markkanen asked.
“Both, but more Finnish,” the fan said.
(Finland scandalously lost the August World Cup match to Japan by 10 points.)
After the encounter, the fan was devastated but extremely happy. He screamed with joy.
Fanwhose username is liltaktak, shared a video of his treasure on X.
“Craziest experience of my life. By far,” he wrote in X.
He also told his own life story briefly.
“My path has been strange to say the least. I became a fan of Jazz in 2003, when I lived in Tiilimäki, Helsinki. I went to Helsinki International School for years. Incentive Andrei Kirilenko, and I regretted that I was so short myself. Returning to Japan, my love for Jazz only grew,” he wrote.
Tiilimäki is located in the middle of Munkkiniemi. It is on the same hill Alvar Allon studio.
In Japan, the Tiilimäki group even founded a Jazz fan club.
“My wife is a special quality because she lets me travel. Likewise my parents, who brought me to Finland as a child,” he wrote.
Fani also revealed in X that meeting Markkanen was the best experience of her life after getting married.
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