Topias Kuukkanen – embracing the responsibility
26 year old Topias Kuukkanen is embracing the responsibility and on court time that is now for the first time given to him in Korisliiga. After seven years of playing in Division 1 A – he made the switch to Korisliiga in 2016-17, when he inked a deal with Vilpas. In the strong roster he never was given big minutes in the games – and after two seasons, Kuukkanen moved to Korihait for this season.
Where he has flourished and been one of the Finnish players who have made the biggest impact in the league this season. Averaging over 25 minutes per game, his stat-lines have taken a sharp turn upwards. Close to 12 points per game – compared to 6 minutes and 2.5 points at his second season with Vilpas.
It seems like Kuukkanen is a good fit for coach Danzler’s plans in Uusikaupunki.
Basketball came to his life via his family, parents and brother, and like so many others -football was also there in the early days. But the playing and training in slush, wind and cold rain.. let’s face, isn’t the same a dimply light (but dry and warmer) gym – where you can practise basketball. So, since the 15-16 year old Topias took the basketball.. his journey with football ended.. and basketball has now taken him to the highest level in Finland.
Future aspirations – to play on the highest possible level. But the main thing for Topias at the moment is that he is enjoying training and playing. So he doesn’t stress about whether the game takes him to the bigger leagues in years to come. If it does, great.. but if not – he will surely make a name for himself in the right team in Korisliiga.
Outside basketball, it sounds like studying is the thing that takes most of his time, as well as visiting family and girlfriend in Jyvaskyla. From my experience, roads between Uusikaupunki and Jyvaskyla aren’t the biggest or fastest… so I feel for Topias for making this journey 😉 Although, you do get to see the beautiful Finnish countryside.
On court, he is maybe better know as a shooter from the arc, and this season has a very respectable 36.1% shooting percentage from downtown. Although in the last three games he has moved closer to the rim to take his shots – one of them being against his old team Vilpas, who probably had a very good scout on him.
My food question gets him to admit that where as mostly he eats healthy, there is the occasional trip to the kebab place to indulge in some comfort food. But with no McD’s in Uusikaupunki… no burgers for him. And when a home cooking evening calls, it is a chicken pasta that you’ll get if you visit him… (to be honest – I am getting a slight case of DejaVu when I ask players what they can cook… it quite often is chicken with pasta/rice… I am still waiting for someone to tell me they make a nice Beef Wellington or Clam chowder…).
His ex-team mate Aatu Kivimaki went to say how he plays Fortnite – Kuukkanen is proud of not really actually knowing what this is.. and definitely hasn’t played it. So, there’s a challenge for Aatu, if Topias comes to visit… an evening teaching the secrets of Fortnit.
