Five-star forward Miikka Muurinen commits to Arkansas

By ADAM ZAGORIA

Five-star forward Miikka Muurinen announced his commitment to Arkansas on Monday morning.

The 6-foot-11 prodigy chose the Razorbacks over Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and NC State.

“Since my visit a year and a half ago, they’ve been consistent and committed to recruiting me,” Muurinen told ESPN. “They’ve always shown interest. They’ve been very consistent, and they’ve gotten to know me as a person. That’s been very important to me.

“When I left my Arkansas visit, I was not only excited about the program but also about the people, and I said to myself, those are the type of people I want to be around on a daily basis.”

MIIKKA MUURINEN WITH THE GAME WINNER AGAINST THE NO. 1 TEAM IN THE NATION! @mmuurinen1 pic.twitter.com/5FlbU9VdjM

— AZ Compass Prep🐉 (@AZCompass_Prep) January 18, 2025

After playing at Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) and Arizona Compass Prep (AZ) to begin his high school career, Muurinen returned to Europe to play for Partizan Belgrade in Serbia this season, averaging 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Muurinen’s mother, Jenni Laaksonen, played for North Carolina and for the Finland women’s national team, and some thought he would end up at the ACC powerhouse. Former North Carolina coach Hubert Davis, along with Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Kentucky’s Mark Pope, among others, watched him at the Hoophall Classic with Arizona Compass Prep. But the new Carolina staff led by coach Mike Malone have not been in touch with him, sources said.

“I can see myself as a stretch four who can handle the ball more (at the next level),” Muurinen said at the Hoophall Classic.

“He shoots threes. He puts the ball on the floor, he’s a rim protector as well,” Arizona Compass Prep coach Pete Kaffey said in January. “Defensively, he’s got to get a little bit better on the perimeter when he’s guarding bigger wings. But he’s a kid that’s coming along really well.”

NBA executives love his upside.

“That kid is super-talented,” one executive told ZAGSBLOG. “Massive talent. Crazy as hell.”

Arkansas is also adding Georgia transfer guard Jeremiah Ferguson and Furman transfer center Cooper Bowser in Calipari’s portal acquisitions.

The Razorbacks are also adding five-star guards Jordan Smith Jr. and JJ Andrews as well as four-star wing Abdou Toure.

“I’m going to Arkansas to help them win a national championship and to play with a great roster of guys,” Muurinen said. “I’m excited to be around good people who are professionals and people who can show me the way to becoming a one-and-done.”

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