Five-star 7-footer Miikka Muurinen commits to Arkansas - ESPN

Five-star forward Miikka Muurinen has committed to Arkansas, he told ESPN on Monday, giving John Calipari and the Razorbacks the No. 1 recruiting class in the country.

Muurinen, from Finland, spent time at multiple high schools in the United States before opting to sign with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia. Before he left, however, he took an official visit to Arkansas in the fall of 2024.

«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."

Muurinen built a strong relationship with Calipari on the visit and in the 18 months since the trip.

«The thing about Coach Calipari that stood out was that he kept it real with me,» Muurinen said. «He has had so much success with so many one-and-done players, and I really like his coaching style both on and off the court. He'll push me hard on the court, and he won't give up on me off the court. Cal is a funny guy off the court; he keeps it light.»

Muurinen appeared in 14 games for Partizan this season, including six in EuroLeague competition. The 7-footer has also represented the Finland senior national team 15 times, averaging 6.6 points in eight games at the FIBA EuroBasket last summer. He also played on the U16 team during the 2023 FIBA European Championships, posting 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds.

Muurinen played for the World Team at this month's Nike Hoop Summit, tallying 10 points and eight