Listed at 7 feet and 240 pounds, Chicago Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen is more lanky than bulky. However, he has been using the summer break to beef up in order to prepare himself for another highly physical and rigorous season ahead.

Speaking to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, Markkanen shared how he worked on his physique this offseason, while remaining his humble self.

“Everybody has been saying I’m bigger, but I don’t know about all that,” said Markkanen. “I just know I feel good. I’ve put on about 14 pounds. In general, I feel stronger. Hopefully, I can keep this weight up and play with it because I feel it will help my game.”

Markkanen has the skill set to potentially become a top power forward in the league. However, even the 21-year-old himself understands that there is much more to it than just pure skill. This is especially true in his position, as battling down low requires a considerable amount of brute strength and physicality.

This becomes even more relevant with news coming out of the Bulls camp that head coach Fred Hoiberg is looking to field more versatile and smaller lineups this year. This means that Markkanen will inevitably be required to play the center spot even more, and the 14 pounds he added will surely help his cause at the five.

The Bulls are not considered to be contenders this season, which puts Markkanen in a great position to showcase his talents without too much pressure on his shoulders. Hopefully, the Finn steps up and is able to break loose in his sophomore year.