UNC Falling Behind With Elite 2026 Power Forward

North Carolina and head coach Hubert Davis started the 2026 recruiting cycle strong, landing four-star small forward Maximo Adams. However, since then, they have cooled off as the Tar Heels have been waiting to hear updates on some of the other elite prospects they're targeting.

One of those prospects is a four-star power forward from Finland, and a national recruiting analyst recently reported that other schools are gaining ground on the Tar Heels in his recruitment.

Tar Heels Losing Ground on Four-Star Forward

Throughout the 2026 recruiting cycle, UNC has been targeting Miikka Muurinen, a four-star power forward from Finland who currently plays for KK Partizan, a professional basketball team in Serbia.

Muurinen has shown interest in the Tar Heels during his recruitment and named North Carolina as one of his final seven schools in July, along with Arkansas, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and NC State.

While there's still no set timeline for his decision, and all of his finalists still have a chance to land him, League Ready's Sam Kayser recently reported on X that Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and NC State have been the schools contacting Muurinen most, along with BYU, which did not make his initial final seven.

2026 5⭐️ prospect Miikka Muurinen is one of the top available players in the 2026 class.

Muurinen told @LeagueRDY he is still weighing his options, but has been recently contacted by Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, BYU, Illinois and NC State.

The 6-foot-10 forward is playing what… pic.twitter.com/aWQ3AGm2dG
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) December 30, 2025

"Muurinen told [League Ready] he is still weighing his options, but has been recently contacted by Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, BYU, Illinois and NC State," Kayser wrote on X.

While Kayser's report doesn't necessarily take North Carolina out of the running for Murrinen, it should be a bit worrisome for Tar Heels fans, as it likely means the schools Kayser listed are currently higher on the four-star power forward's list.

UNC cour — Dec 6, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; A general view of the logo on the court prior to the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Western Carolina Catamounts at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Missing out on Muurinen would be a brutal blow to the Tar Heels' 2026 class, as he is among the nation's top prospects. Rivals' industry rankings list the Finnish native as the No. 88 overall player in the class and the No. 10 power forward.

Muurinen isn't the only 2026 prospect UNC is falling behind on. The Tar Heels are also reportedly losing ground with Dylan Mingo, a five-star point guard from Long Island Lutheran High School in Farmingdale, New York.

UNC basketbal — Dec 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis talks with guard Kyan Evans (0) and guard Derek Dixon (3) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

If North Carolina were to lose both Murrinen and Mingo, the Tar Heels would lose two of its top targets in the 2026 class and likely finish the class with only one commit.

The good news for UNC is that there is still plenty of time before Murrinen makes a decision, and Davis and his staff should make a push to land one of the top prospects in the 2026 class.

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