NBA Wordle #45
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 · already played
The answer
Spoiler for the puzzle of Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Today's puzzle is not revealed anywhere on this page.
MARKKANEN
Lauri Markkanen
F · 2017–2027
Lauri Markkanen's career
Lauri Markkanen played 10 seasons between 2017 and 2027, across 3 franchises — Bulls, Cavaliers and Jazz. Over 492 regular-season games he averaged 18.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists, finishing with 9,323 career points. He was 1× All-Star.
He entered the league in the 2017 draft, taken 7th overall in the lottery. That makes him a product of the 2010s, and his career totals should be read against the pace and rules of that period.
Across a solid career of 10 seasons he was a consistent starter at 18.9 points per game.
- Games
- 492
- PPG
- 18.9
- RPG
- 7.1
- APG
- 1.5
- Points
- 9,323
- Rebounds
- 3,490
- Assists
- 746
- 3PM
- 1,257
Teams
- Bulls · 2018–2021
- Cavaliers · 2022
- Jazz · 2023–2026
Honours
1× All-Star
About the answer
The answer was MARKKANEN — 9 letters, made up of 6 distinct letters and beginning with M.
The optional hint offered that day read: “Played for CHI 2018–21, CLE 2022, UTA 2023–26”.
Why this was a fair answer
Answers are never obscure by design: the pool is every NBA All-Star who debuted in the 1969-70 season or later, plus current players carrying a real scoring role. Lauri Markkanen qualifies on the first route, with 1 All-Star selection — a one-time selection.
With 3 franchises on his record, the shared-team clue was a genuine filter rather than a giveaway. A recent debut meant the arrow pointed forward for nearly every guess, which narrows the field quickly once you trust it. He never won a title, which quietly rules out a large share of the most-guessed names.
Play it yourself
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