Nika Muhl fell under the radar through most of her career with UConn women's basketball.
While stars Paige Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards drew the most attention, Muhl contributed as a less-heralded point guard for the Huskies. Yet while the headlines focused on other players, Muhl had nothing short of an excellent collegiate career.
She broke records in her four seasons at UConn, a legendary program that has developed numerous Hall of Fame talents, including Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.
Nonetheless, Muhl holds UConn's record for the most assists — in a career (686), in a single season (284) and in a single game (15). Her 17 double-digit assist games is also the most of any UConn player, per the university's athletic website.
Oh, and she is a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year. You might recognize her from UConn's 2024 Final Four game against Iowa, where she defended Caitlin Clark with tenacity, albeit in a losing effort.
She leaves a decorated legacy behind at UConn. But she will continue her professional career in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm, just as Bird did before her.
WNBA DRAFT 2024: Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades
Was Nika Muhl drafted to the WNBA?
The Storm drafted Muhl with the second pick of the second round (No. 14 overall). She was the second Husky off the board in the 2024 WNBA Draft after Aaliyah Edwards went to the Washington Mystics with the No. 6 overall pick.
Muhl is following a familiar path to a very prominent UConn and WNBA star. Bird, a four-time WNBA champion and two-time NCAA champion, was a standout point guard with the Huskies from 1998-2002. The Storm drafted her with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft.
Bird retired from the WNBA after the 2022 season, but she played out her entire career with the Storm. She made 13 All-Star appearances and garnered multiple MVP nominations, though she never won the award.
"It's huge shoes to fill in," Muhl told ESPN's Holly Rowe when asked about carrying on Bird's UConn and Storm legacy.
"I've had amazing people around me — I'll mention it again — without them, I would never be standing here," Muhl said. "I'm just excited to bring who I am to Seattle. I'm excited to bring my hard work ethic. I'm excited to bring the competition [and the] good teammate that I am."
Is Nika Muhl from Croatia?
Muhl is Croatian and played for the country's national team at the 2018 FIBA U18 European championship.
She also played for ZKK Tresnjevka 2009 for four seasons in the Prva Zenska Liga, which is the top league in Croatia, according to UConn's athletic website.
The former UConn point guard paid homage to her hometown Zagreb, Croatia, with a piece of tooth jewelry at the 2024 WNBA Draft. She paired it with an all black fit and orange glasses.
Nika Muhl got a gold tooth for the #WNBA #WNBADraft ✨ pic.twitter.com/jIwxtXEuCl
— Justin Trombino (@Trombino20) April 15, 2024
Nika Muhl arrived in the WNBA Draft Orange carpet. pic.twitter.com/mzFrnSZxkc
— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) April 15, 2024
Nika Muhl college stats
| Year | Grade | G-GS | MPG | FG-FGA (FG%) | 3P-3PA (3P%) | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG |
| 2020-21 | FR | 23-15 | 24.4 | 1.7-4.6 (38.1%) | 1-3 (34.3%) | 4.9 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 1.7 |
| 2021-22 | SO | 33-19 | 21.7 | 1.5-3.5 (43.1%) | 0.8-2.2 (34.2%) | 3.8 | 3 | 2.6 | 1.4 |
| 2022-23 | JR | 36-36 | 36.6 | 2.3-5.7 (41.2%) | 1-3 (34.3%) | 7.1 | 3.9 | 7.9 | 1.4 |
| 2023-24 | SR | 38-38 | 31.9 | 2.6-5.7 (46.3%) | 1.3-3.2 (39.7%) | 6.8 | 4 | 6.5 | 1.2 |
| Career | -- | 130-108 | 29.3 | 2.1-4.9 (42.7%) | 1-2.9 (36%) | 5.8 | 3.4 | 5.2 | 1.4 |
