WNBA rookie Nika Mühl has made quite the impression on Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn and her teammates. The 23-year-old point guard not only made the final roster as a second round draft pick, she is likely going to see pretty significant time on the court during his first year.
If the United States government ever allows Mühl to play, that is.
A pending visa is keeping her off of the court. She has yet to make her regular season debut with the team and was forced to sit on the bench in street clothes for the second-straight game on Friday night.
Quinn is frustrated with the entire process, even though it is out of the hands of Mühl and the Storm.
Just stay patient. Just continue to focus on our day to day processes […]
Not worrying about anything else but the basketball at the moment […]
We have to control our controllables. It’s out of our hands as coaches and players.
— Noelle Quinn on Nika Mühl’s playing status
Mühl, a graduate of UConn, hails from Zagreb, Croatia. Her strong play as a teenager in the Premijer ženska liga (Croatia’s first tier level women’s basketball league) drew interest from several D-I programs, including Ohio State, San Francisco, Louisville and Oregon. Geno Auriemma ultimately secured a commitment by flying out to visit Mühl in person.
The rest is history!
Mühl was named the back-to-back Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023 while starring for the Huskies. She also put the clamps on Caitlin Clark during the NCAA Tournament, which sent her draft stock skyrocketing. The Storm drafted her No. 14 overall.
— follow @dubs408 (@somedubvids) April 6, 2024
Unfortunately, we have yet to see whether Mühl’s defense translates to the W.
A student visa allowed her to play in college. Professional athletes require different paperwork.
Everything has been filed as requested but a lengthy delay on the government’s end has kept Mühl from receiving approval. Without a new visa, she cannot legally work. Playing professional basketball is work.
All Mühl can do is support her teammates while she waits.
Whenever the sanction does come, Mühl is expected to play a big role for the Storm. It is possible that she could crack the starting lineup as soon as she is allowed to play.
She found her voice at this point guard position. She doesn’t feel like a rookie. She’s been pretty consistent daily.
— Noelle Quinn
A P-1 visa can take up to six months to be approved. It is unlikely that Nika Mühl will have to wait that long, but it is possible.
In the meantime, Seattle is scheduled to face the Washington Mystics on Sunday after starting 0-2.