His father, Kimmo, is also an accomplished basketball player, but most people seem to focus on his 150-plus games with the Finnish national team.
Before a decade-long professional career in Europe, though, Kimmo Muurinen played two seasons for the Little Rock Trojans.
Recruited to the United States by a young up-and-comer named Porter Moser, the elder Muurinen averaged 2.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.3 minutes across 21 games as a freshman in 2002-03.
He followed it up with an even better sophomore campaign for first-year head coach Steve Shields. Appearing in all but one game and starting nine, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.0 minutes while helping the University of Arkansas at Little Rock win the Sun Belt East Division title.
Miikka was born just three years later.
The 19-year-old suiting up for the state’s flagship school could be an ideal match for both parties.
The biggest remaining domino fell in Arkansas basketball’s prolonged offseason quest for a marquee when Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam committed to defending national champion Michigan on Friday.
Taking top targets like Thiam and Somtochuwku Cyril (Georgia to Miami) off the transfer portal table leaves John Calipari searching for some creative solutions.
Here, the high school ranks could help. Five-star forward Paul Osaruyi was rumored to potentially reclassify into the 2026 crop but is staying in the 2027 class (he said he plans to visit Arkansas).
Obinna Ekezie Jr., on the other hand, seems much more likely to jump to college. The top-ranked high school center visited both Arkansas and Louisville in the heat of portal season, and a source indicated to Best of Arkansas Sports that the Razorbacks are in pole position to land the son of Obinna Ekezie, Sr., the former Nigerian NBA player.
