Little Signs with Runnin' Utes for 2024-25 Campaign

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah head men's basketball coach Craig Smith continues to build the roster out for the 2024-25 campaign with the addition of transfer Miro Little.
 
Little will be one of five newcomers for the Runnin' Utes, joining transfers Keanu Dawes, Masen Madsen, Zach Keller and incoming freshman David Katoa.
 
"Miro's commitment to the University of Utah men's basketball program is a big-time addition to the Runnin' Utes," Smith said. "His skillsets, leadership and knowledge of the game will make everyone around him better and will help us compete at the highest level. Miro is a winner with a relentless competitive spirit. We're excited about his future in Salt Lake City."
 
In his first collegiate season, Little was just 1-of-8 players and 1-of-3 freshmen on the roster to play in 30-plus games at Baylor. The 6-4 guard scored his first collegiate bucket in the season-opener against Auburn at the Pentagon. He recorded a season-high 9 points against Mississippi Valley State and wound up scoring the final points ever inside the Ferrell Center that night as well. He also followed up with 6 points in 15 minutes of action in the first game ever at Foster Pavilion to ring in the New Year.
 
He made his Big 12 debut in the opener against Oklahoma State and would score his first points in conference action at home versus #4/4 Kansas, posting 3 points with a season-high 6 rebounds.
 
Little comes to Salt Lake City with plenty of international experience and familiarity with the Utes and Utah as a state. He became the youngest player to make the Finnish National Team since 1997 (17) when he suited up for the senior team in Feb. 2022 alongside former Runnin' Utes Mikael Jantunen and assistant coach Hanno Möttölä in addition to Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz at the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. The budding prep star would average 5.0 points, 4.6 assists and 17.5 minutes in five games with the Finnish National Team. He opened the qualifiers with 9 assists against Venezuela before scoring 10 points the follow game against Cape Verde in the classification rounds.
 
Later in the year, Little suited up for the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championships where he helped Finland advance to the semifinals of Division B. In the five games he played in, Little averaged 15.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the Finnish with three double-doubles. He opened the tournament with 19 points against Austria and then recorded his first double-double against Belgium with 21 points and 11 assists to go with 6 rebounds. Two games later, Little scored 15 points with 14 boards against Sweden before posting 21 points with 16 rebounds and 5 assists against Portugal in the quarterfinals.
 
Little also played in the 2022 Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Patras, Greece, where he averaged 23.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in four games. In 2021, the Finnish national averaged 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists at the U18 Nordic Championships.
 
As prospect, Little was a four-star recruit across the board playing his senior season at Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) where he helped lead them to a 21-10 overall mark. Prior joining the Buffaloes, Little was a member of the Helsinki Basketball Academy led by Möttölä and with Tampereen Pyrinto before that.
 
For the latest news and information on the Runnin' Utes men's basketball program, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com and on social media by following @UtahMBB on Facebook, X and Instagram.
 
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