Mark Pope and his staff are wrapping up the class of 2025 for the Kentucky Wildcats and are now starting to pivot to the 2026 class.

With a ton of the top prospects having connections to members of the coaching staff, the Cats are starting to hone in on their big board for their top recruits in the class of 2026. One of those is 5-star forward Miikka Muurinen.

Playing for Arizona Compass Prep, Muurinen is having a solid junior season, which has seen him raise into the top 10 of recruiting services. That also means his offer list features the top programs across the country.

Jamie Shaw of On3 recently spoke with Muurinen, and the talented forward gave an update on his recruitment. Including a positive update for Kentucky.

When asked about UK, here is what he had to say:

“I see how they let their bigs play. They’re one of the schools I’m looking at right now. And Coach (Mark) Pope, I like him. He’s a big guy, a funny guy with high energy, and I like that. I’m excited to take a visit there.”

The Cats have their work cut out for them, though, as Duke, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, and Michigan are all jockeying for positions in this recruitment.

Muurinen also let Shaw know that his plan is to “definitely” stay in the 2026 class, as his name continues to float in reclassification talks. With Kentucky missing on Caleb Wilson, Muurinen could be someone Mark Pope would like to add for next season, but for now, that’s off the table.

Now, let’s see if they can keep pushing to get Muurinen on campus.

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