Luukas Vaara

Luukas Vaara
No. 20 – Vilpas Vikings
Position	Center
League	Korisliiga
Personal information
Born	April 22, 2001 (age 23); Lahti, Finland
Listed height	2.07 m (6 ft 9 in)
Listed weight	100 kg (220 lb)
Career information
High school	Helsinki Basketball Academy,; (Helsinki, Finland)
Playing career	2018–present
Career history
2018–2019	Lahti Basketball
2019–2020	Pussihukat
2020–2021	HBA-Märsky
2021–2022	SIG Strasbourg
2022–2023	Phoenix Hagen
2023–present	Salon Vilpas

Luukas Vaara (born 22 April 2001) is a Finnish basketball player who plays for Salon Vilpas in Finnish Korisliiga. He started basketball in youth teams of Namika Lahti and Lahti Basketball.

Career[edit]

In his early senior career, Vaara played in Finland for Lahti Basketball and Pussihukat. For the 2020–21 season, he joined Helsinki Basketball Academy team HBA-Märsky playing in second-tier Koripallon I-divisioona.

On 1 July 2021, Vaara signed with French club SIG Strasbourg. He played mostly with the U21-team but debuted in LNB Pro A with the first team.^[1]

On 15 June 2022, Vaara left Strasbourg and joined Phoenix Hagen in German second-tier Pro A.^[2]^[3]

In 2023, he returned to Finland and signed with Korisliiga team Vilpas Vikings in Salo for the 2023–24 season.^[4]

International career[edit]

A former youth international, Vaara has played in six matches for the Finland national basketball team.^[5] He also represented Finland in the postponed 2021 Summer Universiade competitions in Chengdu in the summer 2023,^[6] where Finland finished 5th, the best position in the nation's history.

References[edit]

^ SIG Strasbourg saalisti Luukas Vaaran, basket.fi, 1 July 2021
^ "Luukas Vaara Strasbourgista Phoenix Hageniin" [Luukas Vaara from Strasbourg to Phoenix Hagen]. Basket.fi (in Finnish). 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
^ "Luukas Vaara: "Mulla on itsevarma olo kauden jälkeen"" [Luukas Vaara: "I feel confident after the season"]. Basket.fi (in Finnish). 16 June 2023. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
^ Mäntylä, Olli (4 July 2023). "Kasarmimme eessä suuri Vaara on – Vilppaan molemmilla senttereillä on merkittävän iso syliväli" [There is a big danger in front of our barracks - both of Vilppa's centremen have a remarkably large lap gap]. Salon Seudun Sanomat (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
^ Tuuna, Juha (12 February 2024). "Vaara sai kutsun Susijengiin – "Hän ollut todella hyvä omassa roolissaan"" [Vaara was invited to Susijeng - "He's been really good in his role"]. Salon Seudun Sanomat (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
^ "Rakkisudet historialliselle viidennelle sijalle universiadeissa" [Rakkisudet to a historic fifth place in the Universiades]. basket.fi (in Finnish). 6 August 2023. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.

External links[edit]

[1] SIG Strasbourg saalisti Luukas Vaaran, basket.fi, 1 July 2021

[2] "Luukas Vaara Strasbourgista Phoenix Hageniin" [Luukas Vaara from Strasbourg to Phoenix Hagen]. Basket.fi (in Finnish). 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

[3] "Luukas Vaara: "Mulla on itsevarma olo kauden jälkeen"" [Luukas Vaara: "I feel confident after the season"]. Basket.fi (in Finnish). 16 June 2023. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

[4] Mäntylä, Olli (4 July 2023). "Kasarmimme eessä suuri Vaara on – Vilppaan molemmilla senttereillä on merkittävän iso syliväli" [There is a big danger in front of our barracks - both of Vilppa's centremen have a remarkably large lap gap]. Salon Seudun Sanomat (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

[5] Tuuna, Juha (12 February 2024). "Vaara sai kutsun Susijengiin – "Hän ollut todella hyvä omassa roolissaan"" [Vaara was invited to Susijeng - "He's been really good in his role"]. Salon Seudun Sanomat (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

[6] "Rakkisudet historialliselle viidennelle sijalle universiadeissa" [Rakkisudet to a historic fifth place in the Universiades]. basket.fi (in Finnish). 6 August 2023. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.

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