Before the European Championship, there was talk of a summit meeting of three of the best players in the world: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic.
Even there they got: BIG 3.
During the European Championship it became clear that there is a fourth side.
The Finnish Lauri Markkanen gives a championship at the level of the greatest, and at the same time makes history with his team.
Dirk Nowitzki is the special ambassador of the championship, and Markkanen earns this championship more and more comparisons to the German basketball legend.
Symbolically, he scored the 43 points he scored against Croatia in front of Nowitzki, which is also his record in the European Championships.
At this stage, just before the quarter-finals, he is no less the player of the tournament than Giannis or Maluka when Jokic has already gone home.
He arrived at Eurobasket a star and leaves a superstar.
There were three amazing performances of more than 40 individual points in this championship.
The first to Luca, the second to Yannis and the third yesterday to Laurie.
The coach of Finland - Laci Tovi - said that the fact that his jewel is talked about less than the three icons allows him to concentrate in the maximum way.
Markkanen thanks the fans.
Will he continue to surprise in a big way?, Photo: Reuters
It's an amazing summer for Finnish basketball.
Within two weeks, the team reached two peaks.
She secured her place in the World Championship (the first European team to do so), and reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship for the first time in more than 50 years.
Finland plays good basketball, is a well-coached team, has excellent players, but without its superstar - Markkanen - it wouldn't have happened.
Usually next to a player's name we attach his position on the field.
Formally Markkanen is a forward.
In practice, he plays all five roles on the field, starting from carrying the ball, through shooting from any range on the field, through passing ability to the center position.
He is averaging 28 points and 8 rebounds in the tournament.
He goes to the line no less than 46 times and hits more than 90 percent.
Markkanen.
Very much obliged to the state, photo: EPA
Thanks to his never-ending array of attributes, every opposing coach struggles with what type of player to put on him to keep him, and usually fails.
The only one who made it difficult for him in part of the game against Israel was Danny Avdia, and this also brought our team a victory.
Israel met him twice within a week in the MundoBasket qualifiers and the European Championship, and scored a total of 62 points from him in both games.
"We are happy that he is with us"
We have seen quite a few big stars fail in the national teams, many times because of ego matters and lack of integration.
The secret to success is for the players to accept that everything must revolve around the star, and that he will not give them the feeling that they are inferior to him.
This is exactly what is happening in the Finnish national team.
The combination between the superstar and the rest of the team's players is perfect, and much of this stems from Markkanen's modesty and his commitment to the task.
He respects the team and the road.
"I'm just trying to do what the team needs from me and help," he told the media.
Avdia vs. Markkanen.
The stars of the two teams, photo: FIBA
In an interview I conducted before the championship with the Finnish assistant coach, the legend of the past Hanno Mottola, he spoke about Markkanen's character: "He likes to play in the team, invests a lot and does not act like someone who comes from the top of the NBA. We are happy that he is with us."
Before the European Championship, Mottola said: "Lauri can be a game changer in any team in Europe."
He was selected 7th in the 2017 draft and started his career in the best league in the world with a four-season contract in Chicago.
His averages in the best league in the world are stable and stand at 15 points.
Markkanen is only 25 years old, and this is already his second European Championship.
Even in the first one he was excellent, when he was only 20 years old, but in this championship he is already mature and raising himself to the highest levels.
All this when he put aside personal matters, such as his transfer in a trade from Cleveland to Utah the day before the start of the championship.
As we know - these transitions are made without the player participating in them and expressing his opinion.
Markkanen.
Has not dropped from double digits since arriving in the United States, photo: EPA
Greece and Germany will meet tonight in the second semi-final match.
Yanis' team will encounter a big obstacle against a team that has impressed in the tournament so far and enjoys the home advantage.
The key question about the clash is whether German star Franz Wagner, who is suffering from an injury, will be fit.
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