Just as Kentucky basketball is hoping to get some commitments from the 2025 class, coach Mark Pope is also working on the class of 2026. On Monday, according to 247sports’ Travis Branham, he added a name to the list of Wildcats targets in forward Miikka Muurinen.
The 6’10, 200 lb forward is ranked as high as number 10 overall by On3, and as low as 44 by 247sports. He’s rated four stars by every service, and is a top 10 power forward in all of them as well. Muurinen is unanimously the top 2026 player in Arizona.
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Muurinen shined at the Nike Peach Jam, putting up over 17 points per game while shooting 50% from three-point range. Pope loves big men who can stretch the floor and shoot from outside.
Aside from Kentucky, Muurinen has offers from Duke, Michigan, UCLA, and others. He’s expected to continue to rise in the rankings, which is certain to create more competition for his services.