Miikka Muurinen

Last updated
Miikka Muurinen
No. 3–Partizan Mozzart Bet
Position Power forward / small forward
League Serbian League
ABA League
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (2007-03-04) 4 March 2007 (age 18)
Järvenpää, Finland
Listed height2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)
Listed weight92 kg (203 lb)
Career information
High school
Playing career2025–present
Career history
2025–present Partizan

Miikka Muurinen (born 4 March 2007), is a Finnish professional basketball player for Partizan Mozzart Bet of the Serbian League (KLS), the ABA League and the EuroLeague. Nicknamed "Slim Jesus", [1] [2] [3] he is standing at 2.10m tall and holds a wingspan of 220cm. [4]

Contents

Youth career

Muurinen came through the youth program of Beat Basket  [ fi ] in Järvenpää, Finland. [5] When he was nine, he also played in a youth team of NMKY Helsinki. [6] At the age of 15, he moved to Spain and joined Zentro Basket Madrid  [ es ]. [7]

For the 2023–24 season, Muurinen moved to the United States to attend Sunrise Christian Academy. [8] [5] [9] In March 2024, he competed in the Euroleague Next Generation tournament in Dubai, representing the Next Generation Select Team, averaging 7 points, 5 rebounds and one block per game. [10] [11] [12]

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

    Professional career

    Partizan Belgrade (2025–present)

    On 25 September 2025, Muurinen's agent, Teddy Archer, confirmed that the Finnish forward would not be returning to AZ Compass Prep, marking the end of his high school basketball career in the United States. The following day, he was confirmed as a new signing of Partizan Belgrade, a club competing in the EuroLeague and the ABA League. [18] [19] Muurinen signed a three-year deal with the Serbian club. [20] He debuted with his new team in ABA League on 6 October in a win against Krka, recording seven points, two rebounds and assists and one block in 17 minutes. [21]

    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. [22]

    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, three blocks, an assist and a steal. [23] [24] [25] 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. [26] Muurinen was also named in the Finland roster for the 2024 FIBA Olympic qualifying matches against Bahamas, Poland and Spain. [27]

    He played for Finland squad at the EuroBasket 2025, as the youngest player in the tournament, where they would reach the semifinals, ultimately finishing 4th as the best result in Finland's EuroBasket history. [28] [29] At the end of the tournament, Muurinen won the inaugural EuroBasket 2025 Rising Star award, [30] after averaging 6.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game with multiple highlight reel dunks and blocks. [31]

    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. [32] [33]

    References

    1. ↑ How Miikka Muurinen got 'Slim Jesus' nickname, basketnews.com, 28 September 2025
    2. ↑ "Miikka Muurinen: 'Slim Jesus' has made decision on his future". basketnews.com. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
    3. ↑ "Next Big Thing: Why Miikka Muurinen is Europe's next top NBA prospect". www.fiba.basketball. 2025-09-08. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
    4. ↑ "Slim Jesus" Miikka Muurinen kertoo sen suureen ääneen: Uusi sukupolvi on astunut koripallomaajoukkueeseen, Keskisuomalainen, Finnish News Agency, Raiko Häyrinen, 25 August 2025
    5. 1 2 Suomi-koriksessa ei ole nähty näin kovaa NBA-lupausta sitten Lauri Markkasen – Miksi kukaan ei puhu hänestä mitään?, Apu, 13 May 2024
    6. ↑ Arkistojen aarteita, Helsingin NMKY Koripallo
    7. ↑ Epäterveellinen amerikkalainen elämäntapa aiheutti Miikka Muuriselle kulttuurišokin: ”Ero on suuri”, Helsingin Sanomat, 2 July 2024
    8. ↑ Määrätietoinen Miikka Muurinen on Susijengi-debyytin äärellä – Vertailu Markkaseen ei hetkauta, koripallo.com, 25 June 2024
    9. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, nbadraftroom.com
    10. ↑ Miikka Muurinen debytoi pirteästi Petteri Koposen alaisuudessa nuorten Euroliigassa, basket.fi, 25 March 2024
    11. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, euroleaguebasketball.net
    12. ↑ Miikka Muurnen, euroleaguebasketball.net
    13. ↑ Miikka Muurinen AZ Compass Prepin riveihin, basket.fi, 20 June 2024
    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 signs with EuroLeague team". basketnews.com. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
    19. ↑ Miikka Muurinen veti ässän hihastaan – se on jättimäinen palvelus Susijengille, Helsingin Sanomat, 26 September 2025
    20. ↑ Analyysi: Miikka Muurisen uudessa osoitteessa tupakankäryä – nämä kylmät faktat kannattaa muistaa hehkutuksen keskellä, Yle, 29 September 2025
    21. ↑ Miikka Muurinen säväytti heti – hirmudonkki sytytti serbialaisyleisön, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 6 October 2025
    22. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, fiba.basketball
    23. ↑ Sasu Salinin haamukori oli jees, mutta Miikka Muurinen oli tosi jees – ”En ollut koskaan nähnyt mitään vastaavaa”, Salon Seudun Sanomat, 25 June 2024
    24. ↑ Miikka Muurinen säväytti debyytissään miesten koripallomaajoukkueessa, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 25 June 2024
    25. ↑ Thomas Tumba ja Miikka Muurinen debytoivat Susijengissä, susijengi.com, 25 June 2024
    26. ↑ Superlupaus Miikka Muurinen, 17, villitsi Nokia-areenassa – ”En ole ennen tuollaista kokenut”, Helsingin Sanomat, 28 June 2024
    27. ↑ Miikka Muurinen, fiba.basketball
    28. ↑ 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)
    29. ↑ "Finland celebrates historic EuroBasket win". News. 2025-09-11. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
    30. ↑ Muurinen takes FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Rising Star honor, FIBA, 14 September 2025
    31. ↑ Miikka Muuriselle historiallinen kunnianosoitus, Ilta-Sanomat, 15 September 2025
    32. ↑ Suomen huippulupaus Miikka Muurinen, 17, tähyää NBA:n varaustilaisuuteen – vanhemmilta melkoiset lajigeenit, Helsingin Sanomat, Raiko Häyrinen, 24 June 2024
    33. ↑ Miikka Muurisesta, 17, rohkeaa puhetta – Suomen huippulupaus sai huimat geenit lajiinsa, mtvuutiset.fi, MTV Oy, 24 June 2024
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