Nika Muhl | The Boneyard

Nika Muhl

Bigpetunia

Bigpetunia

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Over the years, no aspect of being a fan of Geno's program has brought more satisfaction than watching talented, but otherwise unheralded players transition from competence to greatness under the tutelage of this coach and the staff he assembles. No better example of this phenomenon exists, in my opinion, than what we have witnessed with respect to the Croatian Fireplug! We knew from Day One that Nika would always bring a lot of passion to the floor, but we also knew that that passion was largely undisciplined, and that consistent foul trouble and a boatload of turnovers would surely result...and they did! Well, the passion remains, unalloyed, but the maturity and discipline that her time under this level of coaching talent has created has transformed her game immeasurably.

Basketball is a game of roles for any team that aspires to be great...we all know that. Yet, with respect to many of those roles, few are more under-appreciated by casual fans than the one that doesn't show up as ppg, but results in that statistic for others. Let a player offer ten to fifteen assists per game, in last night's case more than the entire Lady Vol team combined, I'll show you a legitimate All-American candidate, or one who should be. I could be wrong, but I cannot imagine Nika"s emergence as a player on so elite a level happening to the same degree under any other coaching staff at any other program, so this homage is dedicated as much to Geno a it is to Nika. So much fun to watch!!
 
Bigpetunia said:
Over the years, no aspect of being a fan of Geno's program has brought more satisfaction than watching talented, but otherwise unheralded players transition from competence to greatness under the tutelage of this coach and the staff he assembles. No better example of this phenomenon exists, in my opinion, than what we have witnessed with respect to the Croatian Fireplug! We knew from Day One that Nika would always bring a lot of passion to the floor, but we also knew that that passion was largely undisciplined, and that consistent foul trouble and a boatload of turnovers would surely result...and they did! Well, the passion remains, unalloyed, but the maturity and discipline that her time under this level of coaching talent has created has transformed her game immeasurably.

Basketball is a game of roles for any team that aspires to be great...we all know that. Yet, with respect to many of those roles, few are more under-appreciated by casual fans than the one that doesn't show up as ppg, but results in that statistic for others. Let a player offer ten to fifteen assists per game, in last night's case more than the entire Lady Vol team combined, I'll show you a legitimate All-American candidate, or one who should be. I could be wrong, but I cannot imagine Nika"s emergence as a player on so elite a level happening to the same degree under any other coaching staff at any other program, so this homage is dedicated as much to Geno a it is to Nika. So much fun to watch!!
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There is perception and reality, she always has averaged more assists than turnovers (this year AA status IMO). Never more than 2 fouls a game.

STATS
2022-23
2021-22
2020-21

GPMINPTSREBASTSTLBLKTOFG%3P%FT%PF
2035.36.54.29.11.50.23.541.234.570.31.9
3321.73.83.02.61.40.21.543.134.222.22.0
2324.44.92.42.71.70.21.938.134.372.71.7
 
Nick-I love your enthusiasm, but Nika has only played in 19 games this year, she missed the Maryland game in concussion protocol. Your averages per game are off due to this miscalculation.

Nika leads D1 in total assists 167 to Caitlin Clark's 157 and both have 10 games remaining. By playing in one game less, Nika is averaging 8.8 assists per game and Caitlin is at 7.8 apg. Note that Nika is 64 off the school season record (231) and would only need to average a paltry 3.2 assists per game to break it.
 
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She is manhandling these "mini-mite" point guards across America. Anxious for SC. (no more Destiny Henderson, big advantage UConn). The Trees have a freshman PG, no where near the physical attributes of Nika.
The concern over fatigue worries me a little. Being over-protective of our players takes away UConn advantages. It is what it is.
I love it when she makes the opposing PGs pick up their dribble and she "smothers" them, often leading to a turnover or she just takes the ball from them. Absolutely text book!!
 
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There are many players, in all of WBB, that have better, or more impressive stats than Nika. But Nika is one of those that falls into the area of amazing performers on the court, and one if you are on the other team you don'twanttoguard. . I love her, and all of the other UCONN players.
Please keep everyone healthy, as this small group is FF candidates.
 
Boreifs said:
Totally agree, but within two minutes someone on this site is going to state that she won’t be a starter next year. That’s where the ignore feature becomes a blessing.
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How does one do the ignore feature?
 
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CL82 said:
Well, Nike is into everything else, so it’s only a matter of time before they take over awards as well.
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When I was a kid, there was a Nike Missile Site near the Greater Pittsburgh Airport. So when I see the frequent reference to Nike, not Nika, I find it thoroughly appropriate. For our Nika is first and foremost , a defensive weapon aimed at the opposing squad. ;)
 
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DefenseBB said:
Nick-I love your enthusiasm, but Nika has only played in 19 games this year, she missed the Maryland game in concussion protocol. Your averages per game are off due to this miscalculation.

Nika leads D1 in total assists 167 to Caitlin Clark's 157 and both have 10 games remaining. By playing in one game less, Nika is averaging 8.8 assists per game and Caitlin is at 7.8 apg. Note that Nika is 64 off the school season record (231) and would only need to average a paltry 3.2 assists per game to break it.
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Actually Nika has played in 20, the game against the team in Orange was UConn's 21st game.
 
DefenseBB said:
Nick-I love your enthusiasm, but Nika has only played in 19 games this year, she missed the Maryland game in concussion protocol. Your averages per game are off due to this miscalculation.

Nika leads D1 in total assists 167 to Caitlin Clark's 157 and both have 10 games remaining. By playing in one game less, Nika is averaging 8.8 assists per game and Caitlin is at 7.8 apg. Note that Nika is 64 off the school season record (231) and would only need to average a paltry 3.2 assists per game to break it.
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That stats are from ESPN, they are up to date. UConn 19-2
 
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Often in any of the discussions pertaining to Nika and in particular her value to/impact on the team there is talk of intangibles. Aside from her NCAA wcbb leading assist numbers, statistically she doesn't stand out. Along side many of her teammates who were highly ranked recruits not to mention a couple 'generational players' you wouldn't think she would stand out. And yet she does. I think if you ask opposing coaches and players, her teammates and her own coaches they would agree that she is very impactful.

Geno recently said that she is unique, he has only had a handful of players over his career that he can compare her to, Jen Rizzotti being one of them. We all have acknowledged Nika's energy and intensity, her toughness and the edge she plays with but recently Geno cited another trait, her confidence. He said that she believes she can do anything and added that that has rubbed off on her teammates.

So it's worth wondering if a great deal of the value Nika brings to her team is in how by her very being she has empowered her teammates. Why does she have so much influence, being the voice they listen to on the floor in their huddles, responding to her directions to shift on defensive coverage or run - not jog up the floor. Several of these guys are arguably more 'talented' players than Nika and yet she is their leader.

I would argue that due to her very nature, her confidence is not only in herself but extends to her team, she see's herself as part of a whole not as an individual (she never misses an opportunity to frame herself in that context). So she is not only supremely confident in herself but by extension she is equally so in her team. She believes they can beat anybody, whatever the odds against them and with whatever five are available on any given night. I think that perhaps Nika's greatest value to her team is that they believe that as well. No questioning, no excuses they just go out there every game believing in themselves and that they are going to win.

Perhaps the inner self confidence and drive that has led to Aaliyah's ascension this season and Lou's growth from being a tremendous scorer to becoming a fiercely completive complete basketball player have been at least in some part fed by absorbing the persona of the kid from Croatia.
 
Leaders are born not made. Leadership is very difficult to define but can be very easy to recognize. Leadership does not require one to be the most talented, the smartest, the best looking, the best anything.
Leaders, in my mind, can be best defined as those individuals who put the collective first and only; while inspiring in the collective the feeling that following me is our best chance of getting to where we want to go together.
Muhl is a leader, and obviously the Uconn players accept and respond to her leadership. So Muhl can yell at an Edwards to keep hustling in a game already decided not because she is remotely a more talented player, but because Edwards has enough respect for her as the team leader to accept it as motivation, not criticism.
 
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