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Finland’s Miikka Muurinen lists seven finalists in basketball recruitment
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Miikka Muurinen, a 6-foot-10 forward from Finland ranked as the top power forward in the 2026 recruiting class and Arkansas is in that list.
Muurinen has narrowed his list of potential college destinations to six other schools with Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina State and North Carolina.
Muurinen, who currently plays at AZ Compass Prep in Arizona, is ranked No. 8 overall nationally and No. 1 among power forwards in his class by the On3 Industry Ranking. He has drawn attention from coaches and scouts for his size, skillset and international experience.
Muurinen has taken official visits to Arkansas and Michigan, with additional visits expected this fall but not yet scheduled.
He previously received scholarship offers from Kansas, Illinois, Alabama, UCLA, Nebraska, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Utah, Iowa, Texas, Creighton, Minnesota, Arizona State, BYU, St. John’s and Ohio State, among others.
In an interview with On3, Muurinen said his biggest priority is how he would be used by a college program.
“The biggest factor for me will be how are the schools going to play me?” Muurinen said. ”That’s what matters. I’m comfortable as a stretch four, shooting the ball, catching it at the top of the key and using my dribble, catching lobs, you know the basic stuff as a four or five man today.”
He also said he sees himself expanding his role at the next level.
“I haven’t really been able to handle the ball much this season at AZ Compass, but that’s something I’m looking a little more at doing in college,” he said
Muurinen has played for Finland’s national youth teams in FIBA competitions and has been steadily building his reputation on both sides of the Atlantic. He moved to the United States for high school and has competed against top prep talent at AZ Compass Prep.
Recruiting analysts and coaches have praised Muurinen’s versatility, noting his ability to play inside and out, shoot from the perimeter and defend multiple positions. His experience in international play is considered an asset as he transitions to college basketball.
“He’s a matchup nightmare,” one college assistant coach said. “If you put a big on him, he’ll take them outside. If you go small, he’ll punish them inside.”
All seven schools on Muurinen’s final list have strong basketball traditions or recent success developing talent for the next level.
Duke and Kentucky have each produced multiple NBA forwards, while North Carolina and Indiana are known for their histories with skilled big men.
Michigan and Arkansas can point to recent NCAA Tournament runs, and North Carolina State could offer an immediate opportunity for playing time.
Muurinen’s decision is expected to be one of the most closely watched in the 2026 recruiting class. His commitment could boost a college’s recruiting haul and have implications for the national landscape next season.
The coming months will be critical as Muurinen completes his visits and coaching staffs make their final pitches.
With the recruiting calendar in full swing, his choice will be monitored by college basketball fans, coaches and scouts in the United States and abroad.
Muurinen’s rise from Helsinki to the forefront of American high school basketball underscores the increasing international influence on the college game.
His next step is likely to shape the direction of one of college basketball’s top programs.
Razorbacks to host Mount St. Mary’s in December game at Bud Walton
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas has added another challenge to a schedule that is rapidly becoming a way for John Calipari to find out early what he’s put together this year.
The Razorbacks have agreed to host Mount St. Mary’s on December 16 at Bud Walton Arena. This matchup, confirmed by national scheduling analyst Rocco Miller, positions the Razorbacks for a December packed with high-caliber opponents and meaningful tune-ups before a daunting SEC slate.
Mount St. Mary’s, a program that knows how to peak at the right time, enters this season with fresh momentum. The Mountaineers finished last season 23-13, heated up in March, and won the MAAC tournament as a No. 6 seed before dispatching American University 83-72 in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four.
Their run ended quickly in a lopsided loss to No. 1 Duke put them on the radar of power conference teams looking for meaningful non-league competition.
For the Hogs, the matchup is part of a non-conference schedule that could end up being among the nation’s toughest. Calipari has orchestrated a series of marquee games.
Beyond Mount St. Mary’s, Arkansas will face Duke at Chicago’s United Center on Thanksgiving, Texas Tech and Houston in neutral-site contests and will host Louisville in the SEC/ACC Challenge.
Additional home-and-homes with Baylor and Michigan State are pending, creating a schedule loaded with former NCAA Tournament contenders.
“I came here saying I want eight or nine guys because of NIL. I can’t pick 12,” Calipari has said in the offseason. “Now I’m like, ‘Let’s have eight or nine that can really go.’”
He’s no stranger to balancing blue-blood non-conference games with strategic mid-major matchups, the value is clear.
“You want your guys to see different styles, different sizes, and to have to adjust,” he’s said of his scheduling philosophy in previous stops.
The Mountaineers fit the bill.
Calipari’s arrival after a decade and a half at Kentucky has brought national scrutiny, a top-10 recruiting class, and a collection of transfers that includes several former McDonald’s All-Americans.
The early non-conference schedule reflects both the pressure and the opportunity with Duke, Texas Tech, Houston, Louisville, Baylor, Michigan State, and now Mount St. Mary’s, the Razorbacks will face a gauntlet of big games before New Year’s Day.
The significance of these games is not lost on those around the program.
“This showed me some good stuff. We got a lot of work to do. I still think my team’s pretty good. Gotta make a shot or two,” Calipari said Wednesday after a summer practice. “You don’t have to be perfect in November or December. But you better know who you are.”
If history is any indication, Arkansas will have plenty of chances to find out. The non-conference schedule is not only a litmus test for a retooled roster, but also a showcase for college basketball’s evolving landscape.
The December 16 matchup is also a rare opportunity for Mount St. Mary’s to play in one of college basketball’s most raucous settings. Bud Walton Arena, famed for its sellout crowds and home-court advantage, will provide a different kind of pressure for a team accustomed to the intimate gyms of the MAAC.
For the Razorbacks, it’s a chance to reinforce their identity before heading into a January SEC schedule that features home-and-away showdowns with Auburn, LSU, and Missouri.
The implications stretch beyond the win-loss column. With the NCAA Tournament selection committee placing renewed emphasis on strength of schedule and quality non-conference wins, games like Arkansas-Mount St. Mary’s can tip the scales in March.
That’s exactly the conversation Razorback fans were expecting to hear often when Calipari was hired.
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Arkansas receiver Ismael Cisse to undergo surgery for broken wrist
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas receiver Ismael Cisse will undergo surgery to repair a broken wrist suffered in a weight room injury earlier this week, the university confirmed Thursday.
Cisse, a sophomore transfer from Stanford, was expected to be a key contributor to the Razorbacks’ retooled receiving corps this fall. The timetable for his return remains unclear and depends on the severity of the injury and subsequent rehabilitation.
A native of Denver, Cisse played in all 12 games and started five for Stanford in 2024, recording 26 receptions for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He transferred to Arkansas as part of a group of seven receivers added through the portal during the offseason, reflecting a significant overhaul of the unit.
Cisse’s injury comes at a challenging time for Arkansas, which lost its top four pass catchers from last season.
Andrew Armstrong, Isaac TeSlaa and Tyrone Broden entered the NFL Draft, while Isaiah Sategna transferred to Oklahoma and Jordan Anthony turned professional in track and field.
Running back Ja’Quinden Jackson and top tight end Luke Hasz also departed, leaving only running back Rodney Hill as the leading returning pass catcher with eight receptions for 68 yards last season.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino praised Cisse’s performance in spring practice, pointing out Cisse earned considerable time with the first unit.
“(Ismael) Cisse’s been the one that has done that better than anybody else so far,” Petrino said in April.
The Razorbacks’ receiving corps now includes transfers O’Mega Blake (Charlotte), Kam Shanks (UAB), Raylen Sharpe (Fresno State), Jalen Brown (Florida State), Andy Jean (Pittsburgh) and Courtney Crutchfield (Missouri). Only CJ Brown, who caught five passes for 62 yards as a true freshman, returns with significant experience.
Arkansas opens training camp Aug. 1. Petrino and receivers coach Ronnie Fouch will use camp to sort out the depth chart and adjust plans following Cisse’s setback.
A consensus top-10 recruit in Colorado out of Cherry Creek High School, Cisse played on four consecutive state championship teams before beginning his collegiate career at Stanford.
The Razorbacks are a week away from their appearance next Thursday at SEC Media Days in Atlant. The season kicks off Aug. 30 against Alabama A&M in Razorback Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on SEC Network and on the radio at ESPN Arkansas.
