Seattle Storm rookie Nika Muhl suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the European season after playing overseas in Turkey for Besiktas in the FIBA SuperCup women title game against Fenerbahce.
Muhl injured herself during the game which began on Wednesday, but had to be postponed to Thursday and was played without fans in attendance after fireworks were thrown onto the court.
With three minutes remaining in the third quarter, Muhl went up for a rebound before landing awkwardly on her left leg and collapsing to the ground.
On the broadcast, Muhl was heard screaming and crying in pain while telling medical staff ‘Don’t touch it.’
Muhl was stretchered off the floor, but rejoined her team on the bench at the end of the game – not returning to play.
Seattle Storm star Nika Muhl tore her ACL while playing in a game for Besiktas in Turkey
Muhl was drafted 14th overall by Seattle in this year’s draft, but saw limited playing time
She was seen in a team photo after the game with her left knee heavily bandaged.
Besiktas Basketball CEO Ozkan Arseven confirmed the terrible news that Muhl will be out for the rest of the season.
‘We have learned from the MRI and check-ups that there is a rupture in her anterior cruciate ligaments… I wish her a speedy recovery.’
Following the game, Fenerbahce players – including Seattle teammate and fellow UConn Husky Gabby Williams – went over to Muhl to offer their condolences.
Prior to her injury, Muhl had recorded 11 points, three rebounds, nine assists, and two steals through three quarters.
Despite being one of the more heralded rookies in the 2024 WNBA Draft Class, Muhl fell to 14th overall and the Storm – who only played her for 57 minutes throughout this entire season.
Muhl was a starter as a freshman at the University of Connecticut, where she helped lead the Huskies to the Final Four in her freshman and senior years. She was named a two-time Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023 and holds UConn’s records for career assists, single-season assists, and single-game assists.
It’s common for WNBA players to play overseas after their season ends – as salaries in the league are low compared to those in Europe.
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