A 211-centimeter-long, peeing during the Christmas holidays is measured in the Uumeni of the Urhea hall in Helsinki Miikka Muurinen span – and height growth hasn’t stopped yet. Now the fingertips are 218 centimeters apart.
Another measurable thing of interest to North Americans is dimension. Muurinen straightens his hand from next to his ear towards the ceiling and his fingertips reach a height of 290 centimeters.
The basket rail is 305 centimeters above the level of the court, so Muurinen only needs to jump 15 centimeters to reach the basket ring.
Also, Muurinen’s sports skills, combined with good movement and hard effort, make him an exceptional individual.
He has been ranked as a five-star prospect in the United States, whose every move is closely monitored.
– After all, it (star status) felt good, you can’t deny that. It’s also been a bit difficult because criticism comes from everywhere and the gang knows who I am. I’ve really liked it and adapted to it more in the last couple of months, Muurinen talks.
Currently, Muurinen is dominating the AZ Compass high school team in Arizona.
– Basketball is a big thing in the United States, the culture is much bigger than in Europe. We have a good team and you always know that a lot of gangs will come to watch the games. That’s great.
After moving to the United States, Muurinen says that he looks at basketball differently now. Muurinen reveals the attitude with which he goes into every single high school game.
– Before the games, I mostly set myself in the mindset that no one can stop me. So I always try to do my best.
Miikka says that he talks to his parents who played basketball almost every day Kimmo Muurinen and Jenni Laaksonen with.
– Useful information comes from there. My god aunt Niina Laaksonen is also involved, as he has also played in the national team for many years.
– I often ask them if I have something on my mind. They also give feedback, which is just a good thing. At the moment, my main focus is on playing under the basket and being more active there and learning more standard moves, says Muurinen.
The opponent’s game is messed up with small slips
Muurinen says that he enjoys when he sometimes gets “inside the opponent’s head” with his small agitational tricks. An example of this from a Finn has already been seen on social media.
– You can see its effect and it helps. The opponent then doesn’t play their own game, and it’s easier to beat them.
– In Europe, no one has joined this “trash talk”, it only works in the United States. The gang has gotten along pretty well with my stuff, Muurinen grins broadly.
University choice ahead
Muurinen, who already went out into the world at the age of 15, decided in the fall with his close circle that he will also continue in high school next season before making his big decision, which university he will go to after high school.
There is plenty to think about, as there are offers from all the most prominent college teams in the United States on the table. In total, the young Finn has received more than twenty offers.
– The coach and the way he plays players of my height and style have a lot to do with that (university selection). Then it comes into play what kind of place it is. That is, does it feel like home, are there good people there and is it good to be there.
The promising Finn has been pushed to 2026 In the top ten of the NBA drafteven the seventh reserved Lauri from Markka higher.
The legendary SLAM publication has estimated Muurinen to be the sixth best in the world in his draft age group.
Muurinen’s intention is to manage his university career on the “one and done” principle, i.e. he would play only one season before signing up for the NBA’s reserve event after a little over two years.
The decision is typical of the most promising players, who are most likely to be top picks.
– My goal is a place among the top 5 of the NBA’s draft age group – at least. It requires continuous, steady development for the next two years.
What else separates him from an NBA player?
– You need to gain more muscles and I think that you need to at least develop your game intelligence more, Muurinen knows.
Naz Reid and the EC home games
When asked, Muurinen surprisingly picks Minnesota’s center, big wing, as his favorite player in the NBA by Naz Reid.
– Reid has interesting moves and I like the way he plays. He’s a bit of my style of player and does the same things. I feel that I can take normal game stuff from him for myself. I have already taken a couple of useful things, says Muurinen.
The EC home games to be played in Tampere in August-September have already been circled big on the calendar.
Koris fans could envision Lauri Markkanen in Susijeng’s frontcourt, for example, Mikael Jantunen and Miikka Muurinen.
– It would be great to play in home games at the age of 18, that’s the goal. I haven’t played with Lauri before, and I don’t know what to expect from him. But there would be that tough trio and a comparison-resistant frontcourt, and it wouldn’t be easy to stop it, says Muurinen.