Nika Muhl and WNBA Draft

[cancontent]

Yeah, I'm not so sure Caitlin would look forward to being face guarded by Nika every day in practice.

I'm sure the GM would as it would make Clark even more dangerous if she improves her shot making

 

[darrell]

I’m sure that Caitlin Clark is pulling for Nika to be drafted high…..like the 1st pick, in the 2nd round by the Indiana Fever…..

Funny enough, I think the Liberty faces the Fever in their opener (or maybe home opener). Sabrina vs. Caitlin is what’s advertised, but Nika could possibly steal the show again!

 

[oldude]

Yeah, I'm not so sure Caitlin would look forward to being face guarded by Nika every day in practice.

Every superstar has their kryptonite. Larry Bird had Michael Cooper, Michael Jordan had Joe Dumars and Caitlin Clark has Nika Muhl.

 

[TheFarmFan]

The Iowa game may have been bad for UConn but it was great for Nika. Seeing her smother Clark for most of 40 minutes has awoken a lot of folks in the W to her potential and has been moving up draft boards accordingly. Excited to see where she lands.

 

[BRS24]

Why UConn women's basketball guard Nika Mühl boosted her WNBA Draft status in NCAA Tournament

UConn women's basketball's Nika Mühl boosted her WNBA draft stock in the Final Four and now joins Aaliyah Edwards as a projected first-round pick.

www.ctinsider.com

“UConn players are always ready for the WNBA, that’s just a mere fact,” Lobo said. “… And you hear that continuously when you talk to coaches and GMs who are considering UConn prospects. They know that there's a certain standard there and there's a professionalism that they're going to get from these young women.”

“I'm just a huge Nika fan,” Carter said. “There are some teams in the league that could use defensive-minded guards. … I try to think about where players could go. I've talked about teams that need defense and maybe they don't need scoring. They need someone that can come in and lock it up and that can also hit open shots. And Nika with her defensive mentality — that was one of my favorite performances I've ever seen."

 

[packwrap]

I'm really thrilled for Nika that she's getting this recognition. Not only did she play tough d, pass with skill, rebound and provide leadership in her final game as a Husky...

but she took and hit the high pressure 3 to make the game 70-69! (There were only 14 million people and Darko Muhl watching)

Freshman Nika would have never taken that shot.

It was a joy to watch Nika grow and improve during her career at UConn.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

To the Nika Muhl haters, I'm sorry you missed one of the greatest improved performances from freshmen year to senior year of any UConn player since 1995!

 

[Vancat]

To the Nika Muhl haters, I'm sorry you missed one of the greatest improved performances from freshmen year to senior year of any UConn player since 1995!

Wait a minute, who hates Nika????

 

[TheFarmFan]

To the Nika Muhl haters, I'm sorry you missed one of the greatest improved performances from freshmen year to senior year of any UConn player since 1995!

TBH, I think the haters were pretty much silenced this year. They had some reasonable critiques about her shooting and confidence in her underclass seasons, and Geno was forced to rely on her more, earlier, than he would have liked, due to all the injuries.

But this past year Nika silenced them. Her outside shooting was top decile and her assists barely dropped with Paige back. Even around here it's been (deservedly) crickets lately. Totally agree she is one of Geno's all-time best player development efforts, and a real testament to him that he'd see her potential all the way from Croatia. Definitely one of my favorite Huskies of this era.

 

[oldude]

Wait a minute, who hates Nika????

Most are in hiding, afraid that someone will pull up an old BY post where they fervently criticize Nika’s basketball ability. But we’ll let bygones be bygones……

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Wait a minute, who hates Nika????

Vancat- - - There are a group of BYers that did not want Nika to start, "can't shoot, wild passes, doesn't deserve to start, blah, blah, blah......"
And when discussing this would get nasty trying to prove their point!
It seems that our coaching staff, most BYers and now the pre WNBA draft all have glowing things to say about Nika Muhl!
She may even go in the 1st round of the draft!

 

[Vancat]

There were people here who thought Clingan wasn't going to be anything special either!

 

[MSGRET]

I've been a Nika fan since the day that Geno took her out of the ball game in her Freshman year and sat her, I think it was her second game. She was very upset, Geno came over sat next to her and talked with her. She was in tears but she seemed to have a look on her face that said "I'll show you old man".

Her specialty has always been defense even she played in Croatia, where she was also needed in offense. At UConn she was needed more to be the PG and a lock down defender more than a shooter, UConn had enough of those. I wish her well in the draft and in the W.

 

[ABCDFE]

Most are in hiding, afraid that someone will pull up an old BY post where they fervently criticize Nika’s basketball ability. But we’ll let bygones be bygones……

i think most haters have been converted, reluctantly

 

[Blacketh’D]

Good luck at the next level.

 

[#12in21]

The majority of Boneyarders I'm sure are bitter sweet about her departure, they will greatly miss her but will continue to root for her in all that comes next. Some of us saw something special right from the beginning and others joined 'the bandwagon' along the journey. It's unfortunate that a few, for some unknown reason in their obsession with scoring couldn't see the forest through the trees in terms of Nika's overall contributions, they could never quite understand why her fans, teammates, and coaches truly valued her or appreciated and celebrated how special a Husky player she was. Their loss.

The enthusiasm, passion, energy, love of the game and of being a Husky literally burst out of Nika and, as she was as a player, she will always remain - a beloved Husky. It's truly been a joy to be along for the ride. I can't wait to see what challenges she conquers next. I along with many others, I am sure, love to watch Nika Mühl play the game!

 

[CL82]

Wait a minute, who hates Nika????

 

[Huskee11]

I've been a Nika fan since the day that Geno took her out of the ball game in her Freshman year and sat her, I think it was her second game. She was very upset, Geno came over sat next to her and talked with her. She was in tears but she seemed to have a look on her face that said "I'll show you old man".

Man, that was it for me too. I was hooked. I wanted her to succeed at UConn in the worst way from that moment on.

Part of the reason is that many of us who are passionate about a sport - in my case, baseball - actually, it could be anything in life - hit a brick wall, a time when it looked like we weren't going to make it, a time when we were totally over our heads. We know that the hardest thing in that situation is to not give up, to stay the course, to double down. The easiest thing is to give up, to throw in the towel. Well, her answer was to become the UConn all-time assist leader, and by quite a bit.

I saw her play in person probably 30 times or so and was always captivated by the way she went about things. Just pure intensity, fire, exuberance, spirit. Highs, lows, in betweens, it was captivating. What a character. What a warrior.

All the while reaching out to teammates and fans, a huge, generous, vibrant personality. She was just such a delight to watch.

My favorite Husky ever. Her basketball skills, while formidable, was only part of the story. It is the spirit she embodies. The zest, the drive, the passion.

I have a funny feeling the Liberty will pick her at eleven.

 

[Cuango]

Vancat- - - There are a group of BYers that did not want Nika to start, "can't shoot, wild passes, doesn't deserve to start, blah, blah, blah......"
And when discussing this would get nasty trying to prove their point!
It seems that our coaching staff, most BYers and now the pre WNBA draft all have glowing things to say about Nika Muhl!
She may even go in the 1st round of the draft!

Nice to see historical revisionism isn’t confined to history books. The Nika thing was rarely (never that I saw) “nasty” and was really a logical debate between hose who felt more offense and less turnovers were needed (and available, with healthy players) at that position. Of course, there may have been some jerks who stepped over the line but those were probably interlopers and not ”normal & true” Bonyarders and I might add, were not confined to Nika.

However, be that as it may, I freely admit, as one of those who felt, in the early years, that a bigger, more offensively capable Caroline, for example, was a better choice, that she has completely won me over and and that she is now one of my favorite Huskies of all time. With her continual improvement in both percentage and willingness to shoot and her ferocious defensive intensity, she clearly, earned her place as an essential starting member of our team! My heart has rarely been touched (in a sports context) as it was when she was benched and in tears early in her career at UConn. It speaks to her character and greatness of spirit that she took that young low and turned it into maturity and greatness. She will not be forgotten!

 

[Fastbreak]

This will bring back some memories. UConn Highlights: Nika Mühl - Freshman Season (2020-2021)
Props to TCF15

 

[jeff30189]

I've been a Nika fan since the day that Geno took her out of the ball game in her Freshman year and sat her, I think it was her second game. She was very upset, Geno came over sat next to her and talked with her. She was in tears but she seemed to have a look on her face that said "I'll show you old man".

Can someone post that clip if it can be found? It's an oft referenced event in Huskie history, but I never saw that particular game or that particular moment.

For as tough and stubborn as she is, Nika clearly takes coaching in the spirit in which it's intended. Big East DPOY recognition as a sophomore was an eyeopener to what was to come in her junior and senior seasons. I really really really hope she goes in the first round of the draft, and it would be a really really really cool gesture of sportsmanship to see CC give her a high-five as she leaves the podium.

 

[HopJim]

According to this WNBA mock draft Nika could go 1st round!
2024 WNBA Final Mock Draft

FIRST ROUND

1. Caitlin Clark, Iowa - Indiana Fever
2. Cameron Brink, Stanford - Los Angeles Sparks
3. Rickea Jackson, Tennessee - Chicago Sky
4. Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina - Los Angeles Sparks
5. Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State - Dallas Wings
6. Aaliyah Edwards, UConn - Washington Mystics
7. Angel Reese, LSU - Minnesota Lynx
8. Nyadiew Pouch, Australia - Chicago Sky
9. Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech - Dallas Wings
10. Alissa Pili, Utah - Connecticut Sun
11. Charisma Osborne, UCLA - New York Liberty
12. Nika Muhl, UConn - Atlanta Dream

Predict Clark, Cardoso and Edwards will all be impact players next year.

 

[#12in21]

Can someone post that clip if it can be found? It's an oft referenced event in Huskie history, but I never saw that particular game or that particular moment.

For as tough and stubborn as she is, Nika clearly takes coaching in the spirit in which it's intended. Big East DPOY recognition as a sophomore was an eyeopener to what was to come in her junior and senior seasons. I really really really hope she goes in the first round of the draft, and it would be a really really really cool gesture of sportsmanship to see CC give her a high-five as she leaves the podium.

 

[Bald Husky]

I didn't exactly like it when he jabbed her with his finger, but I guess he needed to get her full attention. I felt sorry for her, but her toughness came through when he reinserted her into the game, and the rest is history. I wish I knew what he said to her, but I'm sure he told her how valuable she would be for the team, and she just had to step up and not feel sorry for herself.

 

[oldude]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of Nika to the Liberty. While the Liberty’s trio of guards, Ionescu, Sloot & Johannes can all score, they could really use a defensive stopper to lock onto high scoring guards like LV’s Young, etc.

Beyond giving the Liberty a defensive stopper, Nika would be an immediate fan favorite, given the proximity of the NYL to UConn. I can see all kinds of enhanced revenue opportunities for the Liberty; ticket sales, tv viewership, etc.