Miikka Muurinen eligible after NCAA wait. Here’s his role at Arkansas

Miikka Muurinen spent the summer as a spectator while his teammates played games in the Bahamas.

That part of his story is over now.

Thursday’s NCAA ruling made Miikka Muurinen eligible right away for 2026-27. Sources passed the news along to HawgSports.

So the Finnish big man won’t have to watch from the bench again. He’ll get to play when the Razorbacks open things up this fall.

His teammates didn’t wait long to celebrate.

Amere Brown, a second-year guard, got the party started on X. His video carried a two-word caption: “he’s eligible.” The Razorbacks’ team account passed it along. Jordan Smith Jr. did the same.

Smith added his own take, too. “he’s free!!!” he wrote.

he’s free!!! pic.twitter.com/5ot02QqS5W

— Jordan Smith Jr (@sm23itty) September 24, 2026

Stuck in the middle

Muurinen’s wait wasn’t about anything he did wrong.

The NCAA never told him no. It just hadn’t told him yes. That left him in a strange gray area.

He had company. Players from overseas at schools all over the country hit the same snag while waiting on the NCAA’s final OK.

The governing body had its hands full with fall sports. It’s also rolling out the new 5-for-5 model. That pushed cases like his further down the line.

The timing stung a bit. The Hogs played four exhibition games at Baha Mar in August. Those games let a new group get used to playing together.

He still packed his bags for the trip. He was part of every workout and team event. He just couldn’t suit up when the games counted. Well, when the exhibitions counted.

Nobody on the staff lost sleep over the ruling. The coaches simply sat tight right alongside him.

A resume built overseas

Muurinen isn’t your typical freshman.

The 7-foot, 223-pound forward chose the Hogs on April 27. Before that, he’d been in Serbia suiting up for pro club Partizan KK.

He got into 14 games with Partizan. Eight came in the ABA League and six came in the EuroLeague. His best night was a 10-point game against KK Split on Dec. 28, 2025.

Partizan lost him in late February when he decided to try college ball.

Back in high school, he sat near the top of the 2026 national rankings. He started out at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas before switching to AZ Compass Prep in Arizona. 247Sports had him as a five-star across the board.

In the summer of 2024, he helped Bradley Beal U16 Elite win the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. He scored 21 points in the title game.

His national team work might be the most notable part of his file. He won the first FIBA EuroBasket Rising Star award in 2025. Finland placed fourth in a historic run for the country.

Tested against pros

He put up 6.6 points and 1.9 rebounds a game over eight tournament games.

He scored nine points in 12 minutes when Finland knocked off Serbia 92-86 in the Round of 16. Serbia had Nikola Jokic on the floor.

Germany saw him drop 12 in the semifinal. Then he had five points in 10 minutes as Finland fell 92-89 to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece in the third-place game.

He swatted four Lithuania shots during pool play.

That kind of experience matters for Arkansas.

Muurinen slots in as a stretch four. He pulls defenders away from the rim and he moves well for his size.

The Razorbacks need that. This roster’s short on high-level shooters.

More options up front

Coaches can use him a few ways. He can be the lone big in a smaller lineup. He can also float out on the wing.

Arkansas already has plenty of players who can do more than one thing. He gives the staff another piece like that.

At 7 feet, he’ll challenge shots at the rim. He also gets out and runs in transition. That’s the style this team is built for.

Fans won’t have to wait much longer to see it.

The Hogs host Gonzaga in an exhibition on Oct. 24 at Bud Walton Arena. A second exhibition follows on Oct. 28.

The games that count start roughly seven days after that, in early November.

The Razorbacks have already played together this year. For Muurinen, Oct. 24 will be his first game in an Arkansas uniform.