Lauri Markknanen Snubbed For All-NBA Honors
May 10, 2023, 5:13 PM | Updated: 7:08 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was snubbed for All-NBA honors despite his terrific 2022-23 campaign.
Markkanen missed out on the All-NBA teams after averaging a career-high 25.6 points, to go with 8.6 rebounds, and 1.9 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor and 39 percent from the three-point line.
The seven-footer had a breakout season with the Jazz, his third team in six seasons after being selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Lauri Markkanen received the most votes (49) of any forward not to be named to the All-NBA team. He wasn't particularly close to LeBron James though who made the third team with the fewest votes among forwards at 81. Markkanen received 6 second-team votes and 31 third-team.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) May 10, 2023
Markkanen Left Off All-NBA
Earning All-NBA honors would have put the finishing touches on a well-decorated season for Markkanen with the Jazz.
The Finnish forward was named to his first All-Star team in February, eventually starting in front of a home crowd in Utah due to injuries.
In April, Markkanen earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player award beating out Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.
The 2022-23 Kia NBA Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen's #KiaMIP mixtape!@Kia pic.twitter.com/f2HklgNhUY
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2023
Markkanen was competing with a worthy class of All-NBA forwards that were deserving of recognition after strong seasons.
Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle, Los Angeles Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Los Angeles Lakers future Hall of Famers LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, and Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler were all worthy of All-NBA honors.
In the end, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were named to the first team, Brown and Butler earned second team honors, while James and Randle were named to the third team.
Jazz Have Just Eight Players With All-NBA Honors
With Markkanen missing out on the honor, the Jazz still have just eight players in franchise history that have earned All-NBA honors.
Karl Malone (14 times), John Stockton (11 times), Rudy Gobert (four times), Pete Maravich (three times) Adrian Dantley (two times), Deron Williams (two times), Truck Robinson (one time), and Carlos Boozer (one time) are the only former Jazz players to named to the All-NBA team.
Gobert was the last Jazzman named in 2021.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
