Story by
Why Miikka Muurinen is Arkansas' Joker Card for this Season
- Story by
- Why Miikka Muurinen is Arkansas' Joker Card for this Season
Arkansas Razorbacks freshman forward Miikka Muurinen | Arkansas Razorbacks Basketball
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -The Razorbacks have a wild card that no one really knows anything about, and that is Miikka Muurinen.
Muurinen hasn't played much recently in the spotlight, so what the world really knows about his progression is unclear. Has his shot improved, has he gotten better on defense, or has it all stayed the same? No one really knows, and that is a good thing.
Advertisement
Most major outlets project Muurinen to be drafted in the second round or late first round. So people know Miikka can hoop, but no one knows at what level.
Here are the positives with Muurinen. He is an uber athletic forward and can jump out of the gym. He has a huge wingspan, which makes him a defensive threat, and he runs in transition very well.
His speed lets him create fast-break opportunities for himself. Those small opportunities can generate an extra 10 points a game for him and the team. That wins ball games, especially during conference play.
Now let's address the weaknesses, as there are quite a few. While he is very athletic, Muurinen still needs to learn skill moves.
Advertisement
His handle isn't there, so he can't drive past anyone on the perimeter. That is an area every wing player and forward needs; if you cannot handle the ball in this age of basketball, it is hard to find minutes.
Arkansas Razorbacks power forward Miikka Muurinen during practice. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Image
The other is that his shot is not all that impressive. The three-pointer needs clear work, and he struggles off the dribble. It is fine if the shot isn't his go-to move, but he can't be a liability from the field.
So where does that put him?
Miikka is in this limbo spot, basically purgatory. We just don't know where he's developed, so no one knows what his role will be. What we do know is that he'll be an impact player no matter what.
Any athletic freak is going to find minutes for himself, because athleticism can take you far in basketball. Those tools will let him overpower opponents, leading to some big-time wins.
Advertisement
He is a joker card for the roster. That means whether he starts or not, the team will always have at least three future draft picks on the court. It just depends on what kind of draft pick they have out there.
Miikka has all the potential in the world to become a lottery pick in this upcoming draft. However, he could also remain a second-round pick. No one knows besides John Calipari , and that makes him the ultimate joker to put down on the table when they go all in.
Sign up to our free newsletter , and follow us on Facebook , X (Twitter) for the latest news.
Today's best reads
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Why Miikka Muurinen is Arkansas' Joker Card for this Season .
