I have a question. It looks like all of Finnish players of note - Markkanen, Muurinen, Little, Koponen - have parents who have also been basketball players. It is definitely a thing in America too but not nearly to the same extent. Why is it so? Is it because basketball in Finland is a very insular sport and cannot compete for tall athletes with other popular sports like soccer and winter sports? Or is it something else?
Eurobasket 2025
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Step-Back Lauri
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Basketball hasn't been super popular, but the success of Lauri in NBA and constant EuroBasket representation of Team Finland last decade and more has started to increase the number of kids into the hobby.
So, I think that the relatively small number of people into the sport more seriously, has been behind it. Number of kids into basketball is rapidly growing in Finland so I would think this thing changes a bit as well by it. If Muurinen breaks into regular NBA roster in the end of this decade, it'll extend the growing number of kids taking interest into this game.
He has been ok on defense. On offense he is still a hesitant shooter, and he also has got to foul-troubles on offense. Offensive fouls are called much easier in FIBA tournaments than in north-america, while on defense the defenders have much more freedom to wrestle; Miro Little was not fully adjusted to that reality during practice games.
Basketball is a very minor sport in Finland. As the population also is small, national team has basically been (if some gross generalisation is allowed here) selected from the same few families, from one generation to next.
This is also why the Finnish national team spectators have been so loud and colorful, but still have behaved nicely (usually for Finns being loud and colorful also means being drunk to the boot, but not so for the basketball fans); the fans have over the decades basically been family and team-members. That same culture for the basketball fans has held on, even as Lauri Markkanen has made the sport (a bit) more popular to be followed (especially the national team has gained new fans with Lauri Markkanen fame). The national team basketball fans are known for there being no drunken fights, no bad-mouthing at opponent players or opponent fans, etc; just joyful (and loud) supporting of the Finnish team, even when things have been going down the drain (things going down the drain is something the finnish basketball fans have for sure gotten used to).
Miro Little is one of the players FIBA (or rather, their media-people) sees to potentially have a breakout tournament.
Who will be the breakout stars at FIBA EuroBasket 2025?
Meet the up-and-coming players ready to step into the spotlight at this year’s EuroBasket.
Why Little has got considered to breakout candidate.Miro Little is one of the players FIBA (or rather, their media-people) sees to potentially have a breakout tournament.
Who will be the breakout stars at FIBA EuroBasket 2025?
Meet the up-and-coming players ready to step into the spotlight at this year’s EuroBasket.www.fiba.basketball
I do understand why Muurinen is listed to that list but why Little is there.
Little is not close to Muurinen as a pure talent in my opinion.
Maybe i'm too hard for Miro but still i don't see him having a chance to make NBA career instead he can be OK PG for some European team.
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Idk how good Little actually is, but he was a top 50 HS recruit. I know he hasn't lived up to that, but people saw him as being a big time talent.
If I was a betting man, I would bet Miikka Muurinen gets the "Young player of the tournament" award. He will get a much bigger role and playing time (because Team Finland behind Lauri is what it is) than most other young players, and people like the flashy dunks he will for sure be showing off with.
Jaanipoeg
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