FARMINGTON, Utah — Excitement filled the Western Sports Park in Farmington on Saturday morning as Jazz player Lauri Markkanen put on a youth camp for the community.
"Always good to give back...I'm looking forward to spending some time with the kids, and it's always fun to be around little, smaller hoopers and see the joy on their face when they're just playing hoop," Markkanen said.
The standout forward enters his fifth season with the Utah Jazz this year, and he's really enjoyed his team in Salt Lake City since arriving.
WATCH | Lauri Markkanen hosts youth camp in Farmington
"It's a lot," Markkanen said once asked about what the community in Utah means to him. "I've enjoyed my stay in Utah. I've really loved the state and obviously Salt Lake City and the fan base, the culture that we've been building. I've been loving it the whole five years. Hopefully I can stay a lot longer."
Markkanen also expanded on what his biggest lesson is to the next generation coming up playing basketball, as many have dreams as big as playing in the NBA like himself.
"To have fun," he said without hesitation. "That's my number one thing, and I'm trying to tell these kids and learn to have fun with it when adversity hits, not just when you're making shots and when you're winning, but learn to have fun with the process. You're going to achieve great things in life (and) in basketball, if you just keep enjoying the process."
The Jazz are on the cusp of what should be an exciting year, with the rebuild coming to an end. They start the season at the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 21.