It began when an unfortunate punch landed a supporting player into a central role, continuing when Lauri Markkanen elevated himself into being more “pro-ready” than even the people who watched him every day believed.

It continued when Kris Dunn bellowed his name into the microphone at All-Star Weekend, ignoring the calls to anoint Jayson Tatum or Donovan Mitchell or Ben Simmons as the best rookie in a star-studded class.

“Why? Because he hit eight 3s at Madison Square Garden,” Dunn said confidently, almost incredulously at being asked for an explanation—as if everyone in the NBA should have seen the young star coming.

And finally, on the last game of the season when virtually anyone of note was either inactive or on the bench, it was Markkanen clapping at his teammates to play smarter, to keep going, to finish out the 82-game marathon.

Markkanen rounded out his rookie campaign in nearly a similar fashion in which he began—showing you more than expected and leaving you wanting more in a 20-point, eight-rebound performance against the Detroit Pistons, a 119-87 loss at the United Center.

Breaking the team rookie record for 3-pointers set by Kirk Hinrich in 2004 when he hit his third and final triple of the evening, it was the icing on an unexpected cake that saw him cross the 20-point mark 15 times in 68 games.

Resist if you must, but it’s certainly the tip of Markkanen’s potential and all things considered, the most consistent performer in a season where the prevailing feeling could be more incomplete than anything else.

“I think we learned a lot as a team and I learned a lot as an individual,” Markkanen said. “I look back now I don’t know what I was thinking when I was coming in; I know a lot more now even though it’s just one season.”

Not seeing Markkanen, Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine on the floor for more than a handful of games has created more unanswered questions as to how the talent will mesh going forward.

But Markkanen’s talent and growth is the biggest reason for any optimism for this process moving forward.

“That’s something we have to build even better chemistry and start working even better together and get stuff going our way,” Markkanen said. “We didn’t play many games together this year, so I can’t actually wait to get back together and the whole team; looking forward to that.”

The league wasn’t as sure what to make of Markkanen before the draft; if other teams had, he likely wouldn’t have stuck around to the seventh pick. But he came with endorsements from the game’s best coaches, seasoned observers like Dallas’ Rick Carlisle and Boston’s Brad Stevens.

His own coach seemed to gush over him at every turn. You get the feeling Fred Hoiberg is hoping to see all of this through, knowing what’s at the end of a long road but one Markkanen seems to be rapidly approaching.

“Lauri’s been unbelievable the last couple weeks. He’s elevated his game,” Hoiberg said. “He had a stretch where he was out with the back injury and a little bit with the elbow but he’s been awesome.”

In a league where the games come so fast, it’s difficult to gauge in-season development from young players. Hot starts from rookies are often followed by a cooling off period and sometimes, a disappearing act as the film goes around quick and adjustments are made quicker than players in Markkanen’s position can bring it up another notch.

Just adjusting to the speed and pace is enough.

But Markkanen seemed to deliberately feel more comfortable with his gifts as he earned more freedom, being more than the player who was the quickest player in league history to 100 triples.

“He had a special, special season,” Hoiberg said. “It’s fun to be a part of, and it’s gonna be an important offseason for Lauri, but he’s committed to it and I think you’re gonna see a better player next year.”

He knows he’ll have to get stronger, develop quicker and become even more than a viable 3-point threat. Finishing the year averaging 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds isn’t the least bit satisfying.

You get the sense he’s just waiting for the appropriate time to fully assert himself, even as he’s not one to say much.

“I’m much more excited about next year than this year,” Markkanen said. “(I want to be) more complete; do everything better, rebound, make the right play, get stronger so I can bring new stuff to my game and go from there.”

And if that happens sooner rather than later, beware.