The State of Utah already has one Finnish basketball star, so what's the harm in adding another one? BYU is in the hunt for Miika Muurinen, a 7-footer who spends the majority of his time airborne and is known in basketball circles as "Slim Jesus", has announced he'll make his official commitment on Monday morning.
That's right -- the hunt for a 5-star center is far from doomed, despite whiffing on some of the most prominent names in the transfer portal.
NEWS: 2026 5⭐️ Miikka Muurinen is announcing his college decision on Monday at 10AM ET, per his Instagram.
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 25, 2026
The 6-foot-10 forward played his senior season overseas, but told @LeagueRDY back in December he was still in contact with Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, BYU, Illinois and NC… https://t.co/i1qmRW3d86 pic.twitter.com/mgRqYi1CA7
Per Sam Kayser, Muurinen has been in contact with Kevin Young's program since December, and the Cougars were one of many high-profile programs to send an offer his way.
But what about this Finnish kid is so special? And does BYU actually have a chance, or are we grasping in desperation to fill the gaping void in Kevin Young's rotation?
Miika Muurinen can fly
It wasn't a one-man show when Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz dragged Team Finland to a deep run through the Eurobasket tournament. No, the 7-foot Finn had some help from, well, another 7-foot Finn, and Miika Muurinen had officially put himself on the map.
High-flying alley-oops, highlight slams in transition, and enough aerobatics to make you think you were watching the final moments of Space Jam, Muurinen is lengthy, bouncy, and stretches like a slinky.
Muurinen plays with an unmatched competitive fire, and what he lacks in upper-body strength (how strong could a teenage beanpole be, realistically?), he more than makes up for with impressive basketball IQ, awareness, and a you-can't-stop-me-don't-even-try mentality that could dissuade anybody from even putting a hand up. Oh, and if you somehow manage to keep him out of the paint altogether, he'll comfortably launch a three-pointer over the barricade.
With Ryan Smith's connections to the Utah Jazz and Finland co-star Lauri Markkanen, BYU's offer could be too tantalizing to pass up if the 5-star Finn is intent on making the leap to the NBA after just one year of college hoops.
Winning him over won't be that easy, however, so don't get your hopes up. Despite confirmation that BYU has been connected with Muurinen, his recruiting profile has strong interest from Michigan, Duke, Arkansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina among others.
A program still in need of a big man like BYU would be crazy not to throw everything they have at a player like this.
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