Five-star forward Miikka Muurinen has committed to Arkansas, he told ESPN on Monday, giving John Calipari and the Razorbacks the No. 1 recruiting class in the country.

Muurinen, from Finland, spent time at multiple high schools in the United States before opting to sign with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia. Before he left, however, he took an official visit to Arkansas in the fall of 2024.

“Since my visit a year and a half ago, they’ve been consistent and committed to recruiting me,” Muurinen told ESPN. “They’ve always shown interest. They’ve been very consistent, and they’ve gotten to know me as a person. That’s been very important to me.

“When I left my Arkansas visit, I was not only excited about the program but also about the people, and I said to myself, those are the type of people I want to be around on a daily basis.”

Muurinen built a strong relationship with Calipari on the visit and in the 18 months since the trip.

“The thing about Coach Calipari that stood out was that he kept it real with me,” Muurinen said. “He has had so much success with so many one-and-done players, and I really like his coaching style both on and off the court. He’ll push me hard on the court, and he won’t give up on me off the court. Cal is a funny guy off the court; he keeps it light.”

Muurinen appeared in 14 games for Partizan this season, including six in EuroLeague competition. The 7-footer has also represented the Finland senior national team 15 times, averaging 6.6 points in eight games at the FIBA EuroBasket last summer. He also played on the U16 team during the 2023 FIBA European Championships, posting 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds.

Muurinen played for the World Team at this month’s Nike Hoop Summit, tallying 10 points and eight rebounds in 15 minutes.

While not ranked in the SC Next 100 because he’s not at a high school in the United States, Muurinen’s scouting grade of 95 would place him as a top-five prospect in the class of 2026.

He has excellent mobility and agility and can outrun most opponents with his sheer speed, long strides and hunger to score. Muurinen is an explosive lob catcher and an emphatic finisher. He also possesses rare body control for his size. On the offensive glass, he is a terrific vertical putback rebounder. Defensively, he shows instincts for jumping passing lanes for steals and has a knack for rotating over for help side blocks, utilizing a 7-foot-2 wingspan and an urge to take timely gambles.

In ball-screen situations, Muurinen brings versatility. He excels in screen and roll actions with hard dunks, short rolls to attack, or when he pops up, where he has range to the 3-point line. He does his best work inside the arc, driving and finishing or off-ball cutting and on putbacks. He has a rare combination of speed, explosiveness, game instincts and skill.

His commitment gives Arkansas four likely five-star prospects in the 2026 class, joining Jordan Smith Jr., the best guard in the country, as well as five-star forward JaShawn Andrews and top-30 wing Abdou Toure, who could rise to five-star status in the final rankings.

“Miikka is very excited to play for Arkansas. He already knows the other three freshmen well and can’t wait to play with them,” said Muurinen’s agent, Teddy Archer of TAA Sports. “He wants to be held to a high standard, held accountable, taught pro habits, and, most of all, win a championship.”

The Razorbacks also likely now have a preseason top-10 roster — or even higher, depending on Meleek Thomas‘ NBA draft decision. Billy Richmond is back as a starter, while Calipari also landed transfers Jeremiah Wilkinson (Georgia) and Cooper Bowser (Furman) from the portal.

“I’m going to Arkansas to help them win a national championship and to play with a great roster of guys,” Muurinen said. “I’m excited to be around good people who are professionals and people who can show me the way to becoming a one-and-done.”