By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Comparisons between Lauri Markkanen and Dirk Nowitzki might seem way premature but are inevitable, considering the Finnish big guy’s feats in the EuroBasket tournament.
And, of course, Henrik Dettman, who also coached Nowitzki back in his early days with the German NT, from 1997 to 2003 (including the bronze medal run in the 2002 World Cup), is quite possibly the ideal person to talk about the resemblance between the two players.
Following Markkanen’s 27-point show that led Finland to victory over Poland, Dettman was asked about the similarities the two shooting big men carry and how “special” the Chicago Bulls center is.
“I don’t need to say how special is. You all see it when he plays. There’s something I’ve been saying for some time: It’s unfair to compare human beings with each other. And we are talking about players from different areas. But there are many similar things in the game that Dirk and Lauri play,” Dettman said during the post-game press conference.
“The only thing we don’t know is if Lauri has the same work ethic that Dirk has with the game. If Lauri has the same work ethic, and is healthy, he’ll definitely reach the same level that Dirk has. He has skills, speed, understanding for the game. It’s also natural.The new generation has to be better than the one of the past.”
(Photo credit: FIBA.basketball)