Heel Tough Blog: 2026 Basketball Recruiting Update

The quest to find the first commitment of the 2026 basketball recruiting class took a step in the right direction today, as Carolina made the top seven schools for 2026 four-star prospect Miiikka Muurinen. According to 247Sports, Muurinen is the No. 14 player in the class, the No. 4 power forward, and the No. 2 player from the state of Arizona. Carolina makes the list with a number of heavy hitters, including Duke and NC State out of the ACC, Kentucky and Arkansas out of the SEC, and Michigan and Indiana out of the Big 10. 

Carolina makes the final seven for Muurinen nearly a year after offering him a scholarship, making him one of the top priorities for Hubert Davis and this staff in this recruiting cycle. In 12 games on the EYBL circuit, he averaged 7.5 points per game, on 41% shooting from the field, 24% shooting from behind the arc, with 4.5 rebounds, and 0.6 assists. 

Not only did Carolina land in the top seven for a 2026 recruit, but they also secured a visit with 2026 five-star small forward, Tajh Ariza, the son of former NBA champion Trevor Ariza, as Tajh will be on the UNC campus on September 12. Ariza has set visits with Oregon (September 5th), UNC, USC (September 20th), and has committed to visiting Texas, although a date has not been set. Ariza becomes the third Tar Heel target to a set visit, joining Toni Bryant and Deron Rippey Jr. 

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