The EuroCup rookie was a key cog in Paris’s success, especially in the postseason
Tribute to the Champs: Mikael Jantunen
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A transfer that perhaps went under the radar at Paris Basketball bringing in power forward Mikael Jantunen from Italian side Treviso, with the Finnish power forward able to join up with his fellow compatriot, head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
Together, the two Finns took the BKT EuroCup by storm en route to a magical season that saw Paris dominate the competition and end the campaign as the champion. The 24-year-old Jantunen made an instant impression from day one, averaging 11.8 points through his first five games and netting at least 12 points in four of those five contests. In fact, his 15-point game against Prometey Slobozhanske in Round 5 was his best scoring night in the regular season.
It wasn’t just with scoring that Jantunen was making an impact. His rebounding and tenacity on the defensive end – he averaged 4.4 boards and 2.0 steals per game between Rounds 1 and 5 – made him a valuable piece for Coach Iisalo off the bat. While Jantunen’s numbers dropped over the next 10 games, he started to pick things up again before the playoffs, averaging 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in the final three fixtures of the regular season.
Once in the playoffs, Jantunen certainly played his part. He averaged 9.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per night in the postseason, demonstrating his all-around game, and ended the campaign in style by scoring 15 points – his joint career high – as Paris won Game 2 of the EuroCup Finals against Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse to become the 2023-24 champion.