Basketball | President Niinistö was pleased with Lauri Markkanen’s decision to join the army

NBA club Played an excellent season in the Utah Jazz Lauri Markkanen, 25, said last week that he will start military service at the Santahamina sports school. Shortly after the announcement, it became clear that Jazz’s season ends with the regular season, which meant that the Finnish giant can register at the barracks as early as April 17, when the next batch will begin their service at the sports school.

Markkanen’s announcement attracted a lot of attention in the United States and has been big news in Finland. The basketball star’s announcement was also registered by the president Sauli Niinistö, who is known as an active follower of sports. According to Niinistö, the decision of Markkanen, who ventured from Jyväskylä to basketball’s youth club circles, says something about the player’s roots and upbringing.

“His decision reflects deep Finnishness,” says Niinistö.

According to the president, it’s about a sense of duty towards the motherland.

“It seems that the sense of personal responsibility is deep, and it’s great to see.”

Niinistö has visited the United States during the war in Ukraine and knows that Finland’s defense capability is of interest to the decision-makers and the media there.

“As for their reactions and maybe other countries’, Markkanen’s solution tells the world what deep Finnishness is,” says Niinistö.

The president was so pleased with the decision of the Hongiko Youth Club Athletes (HoNsU) to the extent that he immediately decided to send the young man an invitation to the Independence Day reception.

“When I saw the news, I decided to organize a fitness vacation for him on December 6.”

Niinistö knows that Susijeng’s center may have other things to do at that time.

“He might not be on duty then, but let him come to the party from Utah if his calendar allows.”

The ambassador of Finnish sports will certainly appreciate the invitation, but of course, arriving at the Independence Day celebration reception depends on the match schedule of Markkanen’s club.

Markkanen is a so-called old acquaintance of Niinistö, because the two met already at the beginning of September 2017, when the first group matches of the European Championship were played in Finland. Niinistö visited Susijeng’s dressing room after the blue-and-white team beat Poland in overtime.

Markkanen scored 27 points in an important victory and was a key player for Härmälä. At the press conference, a representative of the Finnish Basketball Association had to tug the young hero by the sleeve, because a distinguished guest was waiting in the locker room.

“They mean to make you president, Lauri, but there would be this current president in the booth right now.”

The young man obeyed and marched into the dressing room to greet the president.

Markkanen already planned to visit the army last spring, but then the Cleveland Cavaliers he represented advanced to the playoffs, which made the plans new.

This spring, the completion of the Sports School will take place, as Markkanen is confident that going to the army will not affect his playing career.

“Of course, I would like to prepare for the season normally, but I have heard that they are doing a good job there in putting things together. The athlete’s basic work and [armeijan] basic training can be done at the same time,” Markkanen said in an interview with ESPN before Easter.