Eighteen-year-old Finnish forward Miikka Muurinen has officially begun his journey with Partizan Mozzart Bet, and his early impressions of life in Belgrade have already left a mark.
In an interview with Mozzart Sport, Muurinen spoke about his first conversations with head coach Zeljko Obradovic, widely regarded as one of the greatest minds in European basketball.
“He told me wise things on the court,” Muurinen said when asked about his initial interactions with the nine-time EuroLeague champion.
For the young prospect, having Obradovic as a mentor is both surreal and motivating.
“I have the greatest coach of all time in Europe coaching me, giving me advice, great teammates to learn from, so I’m trying to learn as much as I can.”
Muurinen arrives at Partizan following a breakout summer with Finland in EuroBasket 2025, where he averaged 6.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
After that experience, he made the bold decision to leave the Arizona Compass Prep program in the United States to sign with the Serbian powerhouse. His goal is clear: to challenge himself at the EuroLeague level in preparation for college basketball and, eventually, the NBA.
“I was going through the options like going back to high school, other leagues. But, I ended up here,” he explained. “I’m definitely gonna get better here than in the States, in high school, so that was the thought process. Where can I prepare myself for college and the NBA?”
Muurinen has already had a taste of Partizan’s passionate environment, attending his new team’s EuroLeague victory over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan inside Belgrade Arena. The atmosphere confirmed what he had heard about Serbian basketball culture.
“I knew the atmosphere was gonna be great. So, definitely what I expected. I just can’t wait to play in front of those fans,” he said.
The Jarvenpaa native also reflected on his development as a player, noting that while he now projects as a forward, his game has roots in the backcourt.
“My natural position is probably the three,” he explained. “I used to play point guard in Finland, before I went to Spain when I was 14–15.”
Partizan’s schedule continues with an ABA League opener against Krka in Belgrade Arena on Monday, followed by a EuroLeague clash against Anadolu Efes later in the week.
For now, the exact timing of Muurinen’s debut remains uncertain, but his arrival has already sparked excitement among fans eager to see what the Finnish teenager can bring to Obradovic’s squad.
Miikka Muurinen is eager to display his talents at Partizan and work with Zeljko Obradovic
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) October 5, 2025
🗣️ “I have the greatest coach of all time in Europe coaching me, giving me advice, great teammates to learn from, so I'm trying to learn as much as I can”https://t.co/wVT2muiEtg
