Miikka Muurinen Scouting Report: Finland’s Teenage Forward Lands at Arkansas
Miikka Muurinen is 19, somewhere between 6-foot-11 and 7 feet depending on who is measuring, and has already played in a EuroBasket semifinal run and the EuroLeague. He is now a freshman at Arkansas, playing for John Calipari, and he has said he plans to enter the 2027 NBA draft. This report covers what he has actually done so far and what scouts will be watching this season.
Miikka Muurinen at a glance
| Listed height | 6’11” (Arkansas roster); 7’0″ (RealGM) |
|---|---|
| Listed weight | 200 lb |
| Born | 2007, Järvenpää, Finland |
| Position | Forward |
| Current team | Arkansas (NCAA Division I, freshman) |
| Last season | 4.1 points, 2.9 rebounds in 12 minutes a game for Partizan in the ABA League |
| NBA status | Not yet drafted. Has said he is targeting the 2027 draft |
| Last checked | 9 October 2026 |
Who Is Miikka Muurinen?
Basketball is the family business. His father, Kimmo, played 153 games for Finland. His mother, Jenni Laaksonen, played college basketball at North Carolina and 68 games for the Finnish women’s team, and coached Miikka on his youth teams, according to his published biography. He left Finland for a club in Madrid at 15 and averaged 16.9 points at the 2023 Under-16 European Championship.
The American High School Years
Muurinen moved to the United States in 2023, first to Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas and then to AZ Compass Prep in Arizona. In July 2024 his grassroots team, Bradley Beal Elite, won the Nike Peach Jam, the biggest event of the American summer circuit, and he scored 21 points in the final. Recruiting services rated him a five-star prospect.
EuroBasket 2025: The Game Against Serbia
In the summer of 2025 he was the youngest player at EuroBasket. Finland finished fourth, and the signature win was a 92-86 upset of Nikola Jokic’s Serbia in the round of 16. Muurinen scored 9 points in that game and made 2 of 4 threes, as Sports Illustrated’s draft desk noted. He averaged 6.6 points in 11 minutes for the tournament and won its first Rising Star award.
One correction to our video, which says he “dominated in Partizan and defeated Serbia”. The Serbia win was with Finland’s national team, and he was a role player in it, not the star.
One Season at Partizan
In September 2025 he signed a three-year contract with Partizan Belgrade, one of Europe’s biggest clubs. He started well, with 7 points in 17 minutes in his debut. After that the minutes dried up. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 12 minutes in the regional ABA League and played less than two minutes a game across six EuroLeague appearances, per RealGM. He did not dominate there. He was an 18-year-old at the end of a veteran bench.
He left in late February 2026 to go to college, a route more young Europeans are now taking.
Why Arkansas
Eurohoops reported his commitment to Arkansas on April 27, 2026, and the school announced his signing on May 19. Calipari is known for turning one-year college players into NBA lottery picks, which is the point. Muurinen also played in the 2026 Nike Hoop Summit, with 10 points and 8 rebounds for the World team.
Scouting Report: Strengths and Weaknesses
What he does well
- Shooting stroke. A smooth, repeatable jump shot for a player his height.
- Athleticism. He runs and jumps like a wing. Recruiting writers keep coming back to his leaping and his dunks.
- Length. His wingspan is estimated at about 7’3″, though no official measurement has been published.
- Experience. Very few college freshmen have played in a EuroBasket knockout game.
What holds him back
- Strength. Arkansas lists him at 200 pounds. He will be pushed around inside until that changes.
- Production. He has not yet put up big numbers against adults. This season is his first chance to play 25 or more minutes a night at a high level.
- Composure. SI’s report on the Serbia game also flagged a heated moment with an opponent. That is common at 18, and scouts will watch whether it fades.
The Kevin Garnett Comparison and the 2027 Draft
The Garnett comparison in our video is about style: a long, mobile forward who plays with an edge, can guard several positions and shoot from the perimeter. It is a description of the type, not a prediction of the career.
The draft range is wide. Eurohoops called him one of the favorites for the first pick in April 2026; ESPN had him 12th on its board the day after the 2026 draft. Where he lands depends on this season. If he averages 14 or more points and holds up physically in the SEC, he is a top-ten pick. If he looks like the Partizan version, he may need a second college year.
Where Muurinen ranks among the world’s young giants
Muurinen is the only Finn in our database of active 7-footers born in 2001 or later. He is included because one major listing has him at 7 feet; Arkansas lists him an inch shorter. See the full list, searchable by name, team and country:
Heights and weights are listed figures and sources disagree, as noted. Statistics are from RealGM, the Arkansas release and his published career record. Last checked 9 October 2026.