Just last year's merits are undeniable for Markkanes, writes sports journalist Ismo Uusitupa
Finland basketball player of all time Lauri Markkanen is a justified choice for Athlete of the Year. Someone can just as well say that there are arguments against him as well. It can also be seen in the voting results, as many others also received first place votes.
The most common argument against Markka is that his team Utah Jazz and the Finnish national basketball team have not won anything. This is a lame argument, because a person is chosen as Sportsman of the Year.
Just last year's merits are indisputable for Markkanes: a place in the opening five of the NBA All-Star Game, the NBA's most improved player of the year and the third best point average in the World Cup.
Markkanen has created an exceptional career in a demanding sport for Finns. He's not an NBA megastar yet, like LeBron James, Stephen Curry or Nikola Jokicbut in Finnish basketball he is a megastar.
Yet in previous years, Markkanes would have had no chance of being selected, because for a long time the most important criterion was success in the World Cup or Olympic Games. At the latest, when choosing the 1990 Athlete of the Year, this criterion was allowed to go, because the European Championship gold medalist in the javelin throw Päivi Alafrantti came out on top – getting his fifth Stanley Cup ring Jari Kurri came second.
The results of 1990 always come up when it comes to choosing the Athlete of the Year. It is on the one hand understandable, on the other hand a little amusing. And above all, it shows that the Athlete of the Year selection is taken extremely seriously.
It's about is ultimately a matter of opinion. Comparing athletes from different sports, not to mention different team sports, is definitely fun, but why the heck is it being twisted for real.
In addition, a few species are in a privileged position. If there is a World Cup or Olympic gold medal in skiing or athletics, it is no different from what is done in other sports. First of all, it describes the age and gender distribution of the participants in the vote – of which there are mostly guesses. It would be fun to know, for example, the average age of those who participated in the vote: will it be more than 60 years and by how much? I myself already represent this department.
In any case, now it was Markkanen's turn – and classically you could say “Pulinas away”. But the post-speculations are just starting, so it's better to say: “Pulinas on.”
Read more: Lauri Markkanen is Sportsman of the Year
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