The Marathon Continues

Chicago rookie-to-be lauri markkanen has a lot riding on his shoulders after he was drafted seventh overall, but the sweet-shooting 7-footer out of arizona is the perfect piece for the bulls as they begin to rebuild.

- Vincent Goodwill

WHEN DETROIT PISTONS forward Stanley Johnson walked into an open run last summer at his alma mater, the University of Arizona, he noticed a teenager with a smooth jumper who could run the floor and finish at the rim if he caught a defender sleeping.

It didn’t take long for Johnson to realize that the lanky teen was incoming freshman Lauri Markkanen, a 7-footer from Finland who was getting his first taste of American ball—or rather, American ball was getting familiar with Markkanen before he was drafted seventh overall by the Chicago Bulls.

“That open run showed me something—he played well,” Johnson says. “You can’t fall back because he shoots too well. He’s pretty athletic at the rim. It’ll be tougher [in the League] because guys are more athletic and strong. I’m not sure how strong he is, how physical he is.”

Of course the physicality will come along, presumably as the weight comes for Markkanen, who is listed at 225 pounds and will be subjected to the bumping and grinding of NBA basketball. But with the game trending toward the way Markkanen likes to play, and the Bulls ditching their usual style of rough and tumble ball, it’s the bruisers who may have their issues coming out to defend the rookie, who’s likely to play power forward and center for the young Bulls.