Nika Mühl’s WNBA journey got off to a slow start. The former UConn guard made the Storm’s 2024 roster despite entering the league as a second-round pick, but never played much. She only stepped onto the court in sixteen games and rarely played more than a handful of minutes. Then, her sophomore season in the WNBA was delayed by an ACL tear. 

By now, Mühl has recovered from her injury and is spending the WNBA offseason playing for Sopron Basket in Hungary and the Croatian national team. She looks ready for her second WNBA season and a bigger role than she had as a rookie. 

Nika Mühl led the Croatian national team to a big win

Croatia is one of many countries hoping to qualify for the 2027 EuroBasket tournament. The first round of the qualifiers is currently in full swing. Croatia is in Group F, attempting to outlast Greece, Denmark, and North Macedonia. Led by a phenomenal performance from Mühl, Croatia got its first win, beating Greece 76-73. 

Mühl was the only player in the game to reach the 20-point mark. She scored 21 points on 7-13 shooting, including four made 3-pointers, dished out seven assists, and grabbed two rebounds in roughly 27 minutes on the court. Shavonte Zellous, Ana-Marija Begic, Ana Vojtulek, and Karla Erjavec were also key to Croatia’s win. 

This wasn’t Nika Mühl’s first big game since returning from injury

Mühl’s 21 points were the most she has scored all offseason long. However, she has also impressed in the Hungarian league and EuroLeague play. In just her third game of the season, Mühl recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists. 

Mühl ranks third in points per game for Sopron in EuroLeague competition and first in assists per game—an impressive feat for a EuroLeague rookie coming off a serious injury. Spending the offseason playing against the top European competition in EuroLeague games and the EuroBasket qualifiers is one of the best things Mühl could have done after not getting much playing time in her rookie season with the Storm. 

If she wants a bigger role in the WNBA, she has to be ready to prove that she is up to the challenge, and playing in Europe is a great way to prepare for another season in the U.S. 

The Storm’s future is incredibly uncertain apart from the fact that the franchise has Dominique Malonga under contract and another lottery pick coming in. If the Storm’s veterans leave in free agency or the front office decides to focus on retooling the team around Malonga, Mühl could be an interesting piece in the process.