Nika Muhl is a talented Croatian basketball player currently competing for the Seattle Storm in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). During her college career, she showcased her skills as a point guard for the UConn Huskies. Nika Muhl earned the title of Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year twice and stands as UConn’s all-time leader in career assists, amassing a remarkable 686. She also set records for the most assists in a single season with 284 during the 2022–23 season and for the highest number of assists in a single game, achieving 15 against NC State on November 20, 2022. In the 2024 WNBA draft, she was picked 14th overall by the Seattle Storm.
Nika Muhl started her career in 2009 for ZKK Trešnjevka 2009 in the Croatian Prva Zenska Liga. In her first season, she participated in 24 games, where she averaged 6.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. The following year, her performance improved, with averages of 9.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in the Prva Zenska Liga, and 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in the Women Adriatic Basketball Association (WABA).
In the 2018–2019 season, Nika Muhl’s stats reflected her growth, averaging 10.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in the Prva Zenska Liga, alongside 11.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in the WABA. She continued to shine in the 2019–2020 season, averaging 8.6 points and 7.1 assists in the Prva Zenska Liga, and maintaining 11.7 points along with 7.2 assists in the WABA.
Nika Muhl was presented with scholarship opportunities from an impressive array of NCAA Division I basketball programs, which included top-tier schools like Oregon, Ohio State, Louisville, and South Florida. On April 8, 2019, she made a thrilling announcement that she had chosen to commit to the prestigious University of Connecticut. What truly set her decision apart was the personal touch from Coach Geno Auriemma, who traveled all the way to Croatia to meet her. This gesture resonated deeply with Nika Muhl, as she remarked, “He was the first one to visit. He made me think that he really cared and that he really wanted me there.”
Such a genuine demonstration of interest made her feel valued and wanted, solidifying her choice. Just a few months later, on November 13, 2019, Nika Muhl took a significant step in her athletic journey by signing a National Letter of Intent with UConn, officially marking the beginning of an exciting chapter in her career.
In her first year, Nika Muhl scored an average of 5 points, 2.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 22 games. She started 14 games in a row. On February 25, 2021, she hit a season high of 19 points in an 81-49 win versus Creighton. In UConn’s first game versus High Point in the NCAA Tournament, Nika Muhl twisted her ankle and had to be helped off the floor. She missed the next three games and could not get back to her best in the Final Four.
As a Sophomore, Nika Muhl won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award for the 2021–22 season. He averaged 2.2 steals a game, the second highest in the Big East. He led the Huskies’ defense, which gave up only 50.8 points a game to other teams in the league.
In her senior year at UConn, Nika Muhl participated in 39 games, starting each one and averaging 32.1 minutes of play per game. She achieved a field goal percentage of 46.2% and a three-point shooting percentage of 40.2%. Throughout the season, Nika Muhl recorded averages of 6.9 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game, in addition to 1.3 steals. Her outstanding performance led to her selection for the All-Big East second team. During the second-round matchup against Syracuse, Nika Muhl set a new UConn career assist record by delivering her 660th assist to Ashlynn Shade, surpassing the previous record of 659 held by Moriah Jefferson. She concluded her UConn career with a total of 686 assists and achieved consecutive seasons with over 200 assists, finishing her senior year with 253 assists.
In the Final Four tournament game against Iowa on April 5, 2024, Nika Muhl was tasked with the primary defense against Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. In her final collegiate game, she recorded 9 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds, playing the entire 40 minutes. Before the Big East tournament commenced, Nika Muhl announced via social media her decision to forgo her final year of eligibility granted by the COVID-19 extension.
Nika Muhl received an invitation to attend the 2024 WNBA draft in person, where she was selected in the second round as the 14th overall pick by the Seattle Storm. On May 13, the organization announced that Nika Muhl had secured a position on the final roster for the 2024 Seattle Storm season.
Nika Muhl made her debut in the WNBA on May 22, 2024, during which she played for three minutes and recorded two rebounds. She had been unable to participate in the first four games of the season due to complications in converting her student visa to a P1A work visa. Although Nika Muhl experienced limited playing time as a rookie, she recognized that her reduced minutes were due to the necessity of “earning [her] spot” in a lineup that included several seasoned veterans and star players. Her teammates and head coach Noelle Quinn commended her strong work ethic in practice as she adjusted to the professional environment. On September 19, Nika Muhl achieved a season-high of 14 minutes in the Storm’s regular-season finale against the Phoenix Mercury.
On May 31, 2024, Besiktas J.K., a prominent Turkish club, revealed that Nika Muhl would be joining their roster for the upcoming 2024–25 season in the KBSL. Unfortunately, during a match against Fenerbahce S.K. on October 3, Nika Muhl sustained a serious injury, tearing her ACL and meniscus late in the third quarter, which cut her season short. Before her injury, she had played 28 minutes, contributing 11 points, 9 assists, and 3 rebounds. Fenerbahce ultimately triumphed over Besiktas with a score of 79-63. To address her injuries, Nika Muhl underwent surgery on November 1, 2024.
In her international career, Nika Muhl represented Croatia at the 2018 FIBA U18 European Championship, where she averaged 10.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game. Croatia finished third in Group A with a positive point differential of plus 3. However, they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Hungary, losing 63-58. Despite this setback, Croatia managed to secure victories against Bosnia & Herzegovina, Poland, and Italy, ultimately finishing in 9th place overall.
Nika Muhl photos
