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Mar 14, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots a three point basket during the first quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

2 Current, 1 Former Utah Jazz Player Slated for 2025 EuroBasket

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 10:23 AM ET

While there's still just over two months to go until the next Utah Jazz season gets off and running, there's still basketball being played by a few current and former members of the team in the form of this year's EuroBasket tournament.

Over the next month, 16 countries will compete on the world stage against some of the best European basketball talents in the world. Names like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic will take the floor, along with three other players who have donned a Jazz jersey throughout their playing careers, starting with the Group Stage beginning on Wednesday.

So, for the ball being played before the tip-off of the next NBA season in October, here are two current and one former member of the Jazz suiting up in the EuroBasket action.

Jusuf Nurkic, Bosnia

Nurkic, the Jazz's trade acquisition from this summer, is one of the two active players in Utah on board for the EuroBasket action, and the only NBA player on the floor for Bosnia in the tournament. However, his appearance within the weeks ahead of the group stage has already drawn considerable attention his way.

Bosnia's head coach has already called out Nurkic's lack of conditioning, saying the veteran big man "is out of shape and can barely run," which definitely does add a bit of concern for his fit in Utah come next season, and perhaps even some early second-guessing on the decision to trade Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets.

Simone Fontecchio, Italy

The only former Jazz player to be in this year's EuroBasket action is none other than Simone Fontecchio, Utah's former wing and current Detroit Pistons forward, stationed with the Jazz for the first season and a half he was in the NBA.

During his time with the Jazz, Fontecchio would play 102 games while starting in 40, averaging 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on 41.2% shooting from the field and 36.3% from three. At the 2024 deadline, he would inevitably be dealt to Detroit in exchange for a second-round pick, the selection that would wind up turning into Kyle Filipowski.

Alongside Fontecchio on a rather talented Italy team will be multiple familiar faces, inclulding Danilo Gallinari, Nicolo Melli, and a near-Jazzman who instead decided to stay signed overseas with Real Madrid earlier this offseason, Gabriele Procida.

Lauri Markkanen, Finland

Of course, the star of the show is Finland's own Lauri Markkanen, who, through his initial preliminary showings, has already turned the clock back to the dominant version of Markkanen we saw during his 2022 EuroBasket slate, right ahead of his eventual Most Improved Player campaign.

He's had two 40-plus-point outings, has broken the single-game scoring record for a player in Finland's national team history, and thus, has made himself one of the top names to watch throughout this year's entire tournament.

Last time Markkanen and Finland were here, that resulted in a historic quarterfinal finish, the first time the country has reached that far in the tournament in 55 years. This year, they'll be looking to climb even higher.