Miikka Muurinen (Images via Instagram/Miikka Muurinen)

Miikka Muurinen injury: What happened to 2026 class forward during Peach Jam matchup?

Modified Jul 23, 2024 02:33 GMT

Miikka Muurinen, the four-star recruit from Compass Prep High School, suffered a neck injury during the Peach Jam tournament. The 6-foot-10 power forward was on the receiving end of a hard foul and was on the floor for almost 20 minutes before leaving on a stretcher.

Former ESPN analyst Jeff Goodman reported that Muurinen was surrounded by players from both teams as soon as he hit the floor. He also shared an image of the forward lying on the ground surrounded by the medical staff and a couple of coaches.

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Miikka Muurinen is one of the best players from the class of 2026. He holds offers from Michigan, Cincinnati, Alabama, Utah, UCLA, Illinois, Texas Tech and Nebraska. As per On3's prediction model, Nebraska is the favorite with a 17.4% chance of landing the coveted recruit.

The Wichita native is ranked No. 24 nationally and is the best player at his position in the country, according to On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the third-best player from his home state.

Miikka Muurinen receives interest from Duke

Although Duke coach Jon Scheyer has not extended any offers to 2026 prospects, the program contacted the Finnish youngster last month (per Sports Illustrated).

The 6-foot-10 power forward has already received offers from eight top schools in the country. As per Muurinen, BYU and Ohio State also contacted him after coaches were permitted to do so. It is clear that the talented forward is in demand and it will be interesting to see which team he chooses to play for going forward.

Miikka Muurinen is currently playing in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League for Brad Beal Elite. He also has international experience, having played for the Finnish national team in the FIBA U16 European Championships. The four-star prospect averaged 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for his national side.