Miikka Muurinen

Last updated
Miikka Muurinen
AZ Compass Prep
Position Power forward / small forward
Personal information
Born (2007-03-04) 4 March 2007 (age 18)
Järvenpää, Finland
Listed height2.10 m (6 ft 11 in)
Listed weight92 kg (203 lb)
Career information
High school

Miikka Muurinen (born 4 March 2007), is a Finnish high school basketball player for AZ Compass Prep. [1] [2] Nicknamed "Slim Jesus", [3] [4] he is standing at 2.10m and holds a wingspan of 220cm. [5]

Contents

Youth career

Muurinen came through the youth program of Beat Basket  [ fi ] in Järvenpää, Finland. [6] At the age of 15, he moved to Spain and joined Zentro Basket Madrid  [ es ]. [7]

High school career

For the 2023–24 season, Muurinen moved to the United States to attend Sunrise Christian Academy. [8] In March 2024, he competed in the Euroleague Next Generation tournament in Dubai, representing the Next Generation Select Team, [9] [10] averaging 7 points, 5 rebounds and one block per game. [11]

On 20 June 2024, it was announced that Muurinen would join the Arizona Compass Prep program for the upcoming season. [12] On 22 July 2024, Muurinen played for Bradley Beal Elite and won the EYBL Peach Jam tournament, scoring 21 points in the final. [13] [14]

Recruiting

Muurinen is a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2026 class, according to major recruiting services. Muurinen had received several offers, including Duke, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA. [15] [16] [17]

College recruiting information
NameHometownSchoolHeightWeightCommit date
Miikka Muurinen
PF 		Järvenpää, FinlandAZ Compass Prep (AZ)6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)186 lb (84 kg) 
Recruit ratings: Rivals:  5 stars.svg     247Sports:  5 stars.svg     ESPN:  5 stars.svg    (93)
Overall recruit ranking:    Rivals: 6    247Sports: 8    ESPN: 8
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

    International career

    In August 2023, Muurinen was part of the Finland U16 squad competing in the 2023 FIBA U16 European Championship tournament in Skopje, North Macedonia, where he averaged 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game over seven games. [18]

    On 25 June 2024, Muurinen made his debut with the Finland senior national team aged 17, in an Olympic qualifying preparatory friendly game against New Zealand, helping Finland to take a 73–70 win by recording two points, an assist and three blocks. [19] [20] [21] He made his second appearance for the Finland senior national team on 28 June, in a friendly game against Latvia, which Finland won 90–84. [22] Muurinen was also named in the Finland roster for the 2024 FIBA Olympic qualifying matches against Bahamas, Poland and Spain. [23]

    He played in the Finland squad for the EuroBasket 2025, as the youngest player in the tournament, where they would reach the semifinals, ultimately finishing 4th which is the best result in Finland's EuroBasket history.. [24] [25] Muurinen won the inaugural EuroBasket 2025 Rising Star award, [26] after averaging 6.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game with multiple highlight reel dunks and blocks. [27]

    Career statistics

    National team

    TeamTournamentPos.GPPPGRPGAPG
    Finland EuroBasket 2025 4th
    9
    6.6
    1.9
    0.0

    Personal life

    Both his parents are former professional basketball players. His father Kimmo Muurinen played 153 games for Finland national team, and his mother Jenni Laaksonen played college basketball for North Carolina and represented Finland women's national basketball team in 68 games. He was also coached by his mother while playing in the youth teams in Järvenpää. [28] [29]

    References

    1. ↑ Määrätietoinen Miikka Muurinen on Susijengi-debyytin äärellä – Vertailu Markkaseen ei hetkauta, koripallo.com, 25 June 2024
    2. ↑ Suomi-koriksessa ei ole nähty näin kovaa NBA-lupausta sitten Lauri Markkasen – Miksi kukaan ei puhu hänestä mitään?, Apu, 13 May 2024
    3. ↑ "Miikka Muurinen: 'Slim Jesus' has made decision on his future". basketnews.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
    4. ↑ "Next Big Thing: Why Miikka Muurinen is Europe's next top NBA prospect". www.fiba.basketball. 2025-09-08. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
    5. ↑ "Slim Jesus" Miikka Muurinen kertoo sen suureen ääneen: Uusi sukupolvi on astunut koripallomaajoukkueeseen, Keskisuomalainen, Finnish News Agency, Raiko Häyrinen, 25 August 2025
    6. ↑ Miikka Muurinen profile, basket.fi
    7. ↑ Epäterveellinen amerikkalainen elämäntapa aiheutti Miikka Muuriselle kulttuurišokin: ”Ero on suuri”, Helsingin Sanomat, 2 July 2024
    8. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, nbadraftroom.com
    9. ↑ Miikka Muurnen, euroleaguebasketball.net
    10. ↑ Miikka Muurinen debytoi pirteästi Petteri Koposen alaisuudessa nuorten Euroliigassa, basket.fi, 25 March 2024
    11. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, euroleaguebasketball.net
    12. ↑ Miikka Muurinen AZ Compass Prepin riveihin, basket.fi, 20 June 2024
    13. ↑ BRADLEY BEAL ELITE BOYS WIN PEACH JAM E16 CHAMPIONSHIP, bradleybealelite.com
    14. ↑ Brad Beal Elite wins the EYBL Peach Jam Championship, stlamerican.com, 22 July 2024
    15. ↑ Miikka Muurinen Makes Big Splash, Sets Stage for Blueblood Recruitment, 247sports.com, 25 July 2024
    16. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, espn.com
    17. ↑ USA kohisee 17-vuotiaasta Miikka Muurisesta – näin hänestä tuli osa valtavaa miljardibisnestä, Ilta-Sanomat, 21 October 2024
    18. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, fiba.basketball
    19. ↑ Sasu Salinin haamukori oli jees, mutta Miikka Muurinen oli tosi jees – ”En ollut koskaan nähnyt mitään vastaavaa”, Salon Seudun Sanomat, 25 June 2024
    20. ↑ Miikka Muurinen säväytti debyytissään miesten koripallomaajoukkueessa, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 25 June 2024
    21. ↑ Thomas Tumba ja Miikka Muurinen debytoivat Susijengissä, susijengi.com, 25 June 2024
    22. ↑ Superlupaus Miikka Muurinen, 17, villitsi Nokia-areenassa – ”En ole ennen tuollaista kokenut”, Helsingin Sanomat, 28 June 2024
    23. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, fiba.basketball
    24. ↑ read, Teddy Ricketson·3 min (2025-09-12). "Who is Miikka Muurinen? Meet "Slim Jesus," the five-star recruit that helped lead Finland to the EuroBasket semis". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2025-09-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
    25. ↑ "Finland celebrates historic EuroBasket win". News. 2025-09-11. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
    26. ↑ Muurinen takes FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Rising Star honor, FIBA, 14 September 2025
    27. ↑ Miikka Muuriselle historiallinen kunnianosoitus, Ilta-Sanomat, 15 September 2025
    28. ↑ Suomen huippulupaus Miikka Muurinen, 17, tähyää NBA:n varaustilaisuuteen – vanhemmilta melkoiset lajigeenit, Helsingin Sanomat, Raiko Häyrinen, 24 June 2024
    29. ↑ Miikka Muurisesta, 17, rohkeaa puhetta – Suomen huippulupaus sai huimat geenit lajiinsa, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 24 June 2024
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