Five-star talent focusing on seven schools as his recruitment heats up

Five-star forward Miikka Muurinen, one of the top-10 prospects from the Class of 2026, has narrowed his recruitment down to seven programs. His agent, Teddy Archer, informed Joe Tipton of On3 and Rivals the major development, one that provides positive news for Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program.

Muurinen, the No. 9-ranked player in 247Sports Composite's Class of 2026 rankings, is focusing on the following programs:

Arkansas
Duke
Indiana
Kentucky
Michigan
NC State
North Carolina

The Tar Heels have been in the mix for quite some time, as their official offer to the Chandler, Arizona native came nearly a year ago. In fact, the UNC basketball program's coaching staff took a cross-country trip to visit him back in October, as they are showing how much they want to earn a commitment from the 6-foot-10 forward.

Remember: Muurinen's mother, Jenni, played two seasons for the UNC women's basketball program, which could serve as an advantage for the Tar Heels in this particular recruitment.

If you're looking for "surprise" members of this list, Indiana and NC State would fit the bill. Both programs have extended offers to him this week, as the interest appears to be mutual, given that they were both included among the seven finalists.

Nearly half the remaining candidates come from the ACC (all of which reside in the state of North Carolina), as it will certainly be a heated recruitment to land this talented forward. Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels hope that their long-term presence in his recruitment helps give them an edge as they work to land a recruitment from him over the next few months.