Another college freshman has declared for the 2017 NBA Draft. Lauri Markkanen, the sharpshooting big man from the University of Arizona, has decided to put his name in the upcoming draft, per Dan Feldman of NBC Sports.
Lauri Markkanen is a 7’0 shooter out of Jyvaskyla, Finland proved to be one of the best shooting big men in the entire country during his one season at Arizona. While the Wildcats season ended in disappointment, there wasn’t a whole lot to be disappointed about in Markkanen’s season.
The freshman averaged 15.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, shot 49.2 percent from the field, and 42.3 percent from beyond the arc in about 31 minutes per game.
Lauri Markkanen has been talked about as a potential top 10 pick, and he currently sits at number eight (to the Minnesota Timberwolves) on DraftExpress.
NBA scouts get to see the 19-year-old up close on May 9-14 at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Another important date for the prospect is May 16, as that is the NBA Draft Lottery, and finally, the NBA Draft is set for June 22.
The most recent prospects to declare for the draft are Harry Giles of Duke, Melo Trimble from Maryland, and Dennis Smith at NC State.
