Jazz's Lauri Markkanen Turned Down Role in Netflix's 'Starting 5'

The Utah Jazz All-Star forward declined the chance to appear in a star-studded Netflix show last season.

Oct 25, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) rebounds the ball against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Over this most recent NBA offseason, fans got a chance to watch a brand new Netflix TV series, "Starting 5" starring a number of stars around the league like LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, and Anthony Edwards, effectively providing an inside look at what a day in the life looks like for some of the top names the game has to offer.

With ten parts and an array of behind-the-scenes action taking place throughout, it's an enjoyable time no matter which team you're a fan of. However, for the Utah Jazz, it seems they were close to getting their star in the mix for a role on the show.

Earlier this month, Lauri Markkanen spoke about his experience of being reached out to for a Netflix special last season, though it was something he decided to pass up, according to Sarah Todd of Deseret News.

“I assume it was the same show,” Markkanen said. “They reached out about doing a Netflix show. Maybe it was a different one, but that’s the only basketball stuff I’ve seen so I assume it was that one.”

Markkanen later explained his rationale as to why he turned down the opportunity, ultimately expressing that it would've been "too much" to take on for the season.

“I didn’t want to bring extra people into the locker room,” Markkanen expressed. “Yes, it’s fine when it’s going great and you’re having people film you in your car after a game. But what if things go sideways? I just know my personality and it would have been too much. I just wanted to focus on playing basketball and being with our team with no other people around. And then, we’re pretty private with our family life as well, so didn’t want to bring them into it.”

While the chance to see Markkanen through another perspective and to get a peak at how the team looks on a day-to-day basis is a potentially exciting watch, especially for a Jazz fan, the 27-year-old decided to go a different direction. Instead, the one-time All-Star kept his focus on his game and teammates.

All hope isn't lost to see Markkanen on the show moving forward, as a second season of "Starting 5" seems to be on the way come next summer, but by the looks of it, the Jazz star seemingly likes to keep things simple and out of the spotlight.

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