Team 2010-11: Karhu Kauhajoki (Finland-Korisliiga)
Career: Namika Lahti (Finland-Korisliiga, 2003-09), Plannja Basket (Sweden-Basketligan, 2009-10), Karhu Kauhajoki (Finland-Korisliiga, 2010-11)
Vesa Makalainen is an important back-up forward for Finland who brings some reliability and real efficiency off the bench. Makalainen is a smart player who makes good choices and has great fundamentals. He does exactly what the coach needs from him by stepping onto the court and playing solid defence, crashing the glass, finishing well around the hoop, looking after the ball and working hard to get his team-mates open. He has played all of his basketball in Scandinavia so isn't particularly well known to the rest of Europe but watch out for some nice cameo performances from the forward who is one of the best defenders on the Finnish roster and knows about tournament basketball, having participated at the World University Games during 2007.
