Jazz F Lauri Markkanen Receives Nowitzki Comparison From Rick Carlisle

The Utah Jazz All-Star is putting the NBA world on notice amid the team’s recent winning streak.

The Utah Jazz and their players continue to receive praise during their recent hot streak. The team is coming fresh off their sixth-straight win to lift them two games above .500, thanks to a convincing 132-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Delta Center.

It was an all-around effort from the guys, but one of the most apparent shining stars of the night was Jazz F Lauri Markkanen, who dominated from all areas of the floor on Tuesday.

So much so that after the Jazz's win over Indiana, head coach Rick Carlisle spoke at the podium comparing Markkanen to one of, if not the best player he has had to coach, Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, per KSL Sports' Ryan Miller.

Rick Carlisle on Lauri Markkanen: “He’s the closest thing that I've seen to Nowitzki in terms of a seven footer that can really stretch the game out and play inside.”

— Ryan Miller (@millerjryan) January 16, 2024

“He’s the closest thing that I've seen to Nowitzki in terms of a seven-footer that can really stretch the game out and play inside.”

It’s extremely high praise for Markkanen, considering the type of Hall of Fame career Nowitzki had during his illustrious 21 seasons in the league. He amounted 14 All-Star appearances, 12 All-NBA selections, a 2007 MVP, and his historic 2011 NBA championship and Finals MVP.

Nowitzki spent 11 seasons under Carlisle, so for the NBA Finals-winning coach to see similar traits in Utah’s own should be a telling sign. Markkanen showed off with an incredible performance on Monday night, posting a game-high 32 points, ten rebounds, and three assists while shooting an astounding 66.7/50.0/100 clip.

Markkanen has been a vital piece in the Jazz’s winning ways. His ability to score from all three levels of the floor, combined with his length, strong rim protection, and rebounding ability makes him a tough assigment for any opposing team to hold.

With Utah’s recent winning stretch taking the league by storm, Markkanen is eyeing a second-straight All-Star appearance to his resume. If the Jazz continue finding this type of success in the left column, it’s going to be extremely difficult to leave him off any voter’s ballot.

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