Lauri Markkanen’s hopes for lifting the EuroBasket 2025 trophy have officially come to an end. Finland made a remarkable run to reach the semi-finals. However, Dennis Schroder’s Germany was overpowering and sent the Finnish side home with a 98-86 win. This means the German team is in the Finals, waiting for the winner between Turkey vs. Greece. But the highlight of Friday’s game was Markkanen’s latest feat. Historic, to say the least. And yet, he was the subject of some unusual reactions from the fans online.

The Utah Jazz superstar etched his name in history as the second Finnish player to score 500 points in FIBA EuroBasket history. During Finland’s semi-final clash with Germany, he scored 16 points, pushing his total to 501. Despite the team falling short, Markkanen’s milestone lit up the tournament, cementing his status as Finland’s unstoppable scoring force.

In fact, Lauri Markkanen surged past Raimo Lindholm’s 489 points to claim second place on Finland’s all-time EuroBasket scoring list. He now trails only Timo Lampen, who sits on 621 points.

In 27 minutes on the floor against Germany, Markkanen scored 16 points on 6 of 17 shooting, adding eight rebounds and an assist. Finland fell short of the title in the second last hurdle, yet the historic scale of their run remains impressive. Still, fans are far from pleased, leaving the air charged with frustration and shaken admiration for Markkanen’s effort.

Lauri Markkanen faces backlash despite historic 500-point milestone at EuroBasket 2025

One of the fans wrote on X (translated from Spanish): “And now, it’s time to return to reality; to see how Lauri Markkanen rot in a franchise with no sporting aspirations while a player as special as him fades season after season. I hope he requests a trade to a competitive setting. It’s a privilege to watch him compete.” The Utah Jazz have spiraled dramatically over the last five seasons, plummeting from 52 wins and a 72.2% win rate in 2020–21 to just 17 wins and 20.7% in 2024–25. After a brief period of playoff contention, they entered full rebuilding mode, compiling 186 wins against 214 losses overall. This decline shows that the Utah Jazz are wasting Lauri Markkanen’s talent in a franchise with no ambitions.

Lauri Markkanen averaged 23.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists over eight games in EuroBasket 2025, yet his shooting tells a harsher story. He converted just 42.8% from the field and 29.1% from three, with multiple subpar outings, including 11 points against Germany. Despite Finland’s historic run, Markkanen’s performance fell far below his elite level. Thus, one of the supporters said, “Finland has reached a historic high. Finland fought well. The score is revealed nicely in the commentary and in the studio, BUT. Why doesn’t anyone say it directly, which everyone can see. Lauri Markkanen has actually been absolutely c–p for his level. throughout the entire tournament.”

Meanwhile, someone added: “Lauri Markkanen had a disappointing performance. love to give him a proper scolding, but let’s leave it at that. When you can’t even hit the lake from a boat, well…” Markkanen’s disappointing performance despite his averages, his overall shooting struggles from the field, and three-point troubles with several earlier games, including 16 and 17-point outings, have shown inconsistency compared to his elite level.

“Final statline for Lauri Markkanen vs Germany: 📉 16 points, 8 rebounds. After dominating early in the tournament and in friendlies, he faded just slightly in the end. Still… is he the EuroBasket MVP? 🤔
 #FIBA #TakeNote #LauriMarkkanen.” Markkanen finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds against Germany, a slight dip after dominating early games and friendlies. Despite Finland falling short, he averaged 24.7 points and 7.9 rebounds, putting him among EuroBasket’s top MVP candidates alongside Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alperen Sengun, and Franz Wagner, proving his impact cannot be ignored.

Lastly, someone brought back the 28-year-old Finnish star’s Utah Jazz situation. Stating: “It’s a joy to watch him compete, but he has been renewed for about 240 million dollars over 5 years. I mean, would we like him to be on a competitive team? Yes. That he earns a fortune, and this is ultimately a job? Also.” This fan highlighted the tension between Lauri Markkanen’s talent and his current situation with the Utah Jazz. While fans wish to see him on a competitive team where he can chase titles, he has signed a massive five-year, $240 million deal. It acknowledges that basketball is also his job, and such a contract justifies his focus on financial security.

Lauri Markkanen’s EuroBasket journey was a rollercoaster of brilliance and frustration. He carved his name into history, became Finland’s second 500-point scorer, and dazzled with massive averages. Yet, inconsistency and shooting struggles shadowed the glory. Fans cheered, groaned, and debated MVP status, all while imagining what heights he could reach on a truly competitive stage.