Muurinen on Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List
FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas freshman Miikka Muurinen is one of 20 candidates named to the 2027 Karl Malone Award watch list, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.
The annual Karl Malone Award, named after the Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, celebrates its 13th year by recognizing the top power forward in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball.
Muurinen is one of the highly-touted rookies who landed Arkansas the #1 spot on the 2026 recruiting class lists. He played for Team International at the 2026 Nike Hoop Summit (with current Razorback Abdou Toure) and won the 2024 Peach Jam Championship with Bradley Beal Elite (with current Razorback JJ Andrews).
Last season, Muurinen played with Partizan KK, a club competing in the EuroLeague and the ABA League (Adriatic League) before deciding in February to concentrate on playing collegiately in the USA. In the summer of 2025, he was named the first ever FIBA EuroBasket Rising Star award winner as he helped Finland to a historic fourth place finish at the FIBA EuroBasket Championship.
Razorbacks on other Naismith Starting 5 Awards Watch Lists:
Jordan Smith Jr. – Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard of the Year)
Jeremiah Wilkinson – Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard of the Year)
Billy Richmond III – Julius Erving Award (Small Forward of the Year)
Miikka Muurinen – Karl Malone Award (Power Forward of the Year)
Arkansas officially opens the season Tuesday (Nov. 3) for the first-ever meeting with UAPB. Tipoff is set for 7 pm and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
2027 Karl Malone Award Candidates
Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State
Miikka Muurinen, Arkansas
Jaxon Kohler, BYU
Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje, Duke
Alex Condon, Florida
Braden Huff, Gonzaga
Joseph Tugler, Houston
David Mirkovic, Illinois
Aiden Sherrell, Indiana
Keanu Dawes, Kansas
Malik Reneau, Miami
J.P. Estrella, Michigan
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Minnesota
Caden Pierce, Purdue
Keyshawn Hall, St. John’s
Xavier Edmonds, TCU
David Punch, Texas
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Na’jai Hine, UCONN
Thijs De Ridder, Virginia
For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
