KY offers a 4-star Finnish power forward in 2026.
Brad Beal Elite won the Nike EYBL 16U Championship thanks to the rising junior.
After a strong performance at Peach Jam over the weekend, 4-star power forward Miikka Muurinen of Chandler (Ariz.) Compass Prep received Kentucky’s second scholarship offer of 2026, according to national recruiting analyst Travis Branham of 247Sports.
Muurinen led Brad Beal Elite to a 72-67 victory over CP3 on Sunday to win the Nike EYBL 16U Championship. Muurinen is expected to soar in the upcoming 247Sports player rankings for 2026. He ended with a game-high 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
Muurinen led Brad Beal Elite to victory by averaging 21.4 points on 61.8% shooting during the competition. He made 14 of 28 shots from beyond the arc.
“On Saturday afternoon, Miikka Muurinen was excellent. Despite Muurinen’s current ranking as the 44th best recruit in the nation, coaches are raving about him, and after seeing him in person, I can understand why,” noted Branham.
“He has a highly polished and crisp stroke from three, and he stands six feet ten inches tall with long arms and a slender, youthful physique. Although he had trouble connecting on his deep jump shot (0 of 3), his competitiveness and defensive flashes were what really stood out on Saturday.
“The native of Finland really picked it up in the second half, aiming to take the ball off the hoop every opportunity he got. He made several crucial baskets late in the game, which helped alter the momentum and propel his team to a victory.
“Despite falling short, Muurinen impressed everyone watching behind his 16 points, three rebounds, one block and one steal performance, shooting a total 6-of-10 from the field.”
Along with schools like Alabama, BYU, Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Michigan, Texas Tech, and UCLA, Kentucky is the newest member of an early offer sheet.
Muurinen, a native of Finland, first attended Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas, before moving to Chandler, Arizona, to attend Compass Prep.
Tyran Stokes, a 5-star prospect from Sherman Oaks, California, and native of Louisville, Kentucky, is the other Wildcats offer in the 2026 class.
