Is Nika Muhl playing tonight against Phoenix Mercury? Exploring Storm rookie's status

On Tuesday night, Nika Muhl and the Seattle Storm will play their second and final preseason game. This will be the rookie guard's last change to get some live game reps before the regular season gets underway.

The Storm had their first preseason game over the weekend against the LA Sparks. However, Muhl was not in the lineup. The No. 14 pick was forced to sit out as she is having problems with her Visa.

Muhl is from Croatia, and had a student Visa that allowed her to attend and play at UConn. It appears she has now run into some issues as she gets ready to begin her WNBA career.

At the time this is being written, there have been no updates regarding Nika Muhl. Because of this, there is a chance she is forced to sit out against the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday for similar personal reasons.

One positive update is that Muhl has been preparing for her debut with the Storm. The team posted pictures from training camp on social media, and the rookie guard was spotted.

Following this preseason matchup with the Mercury, the Storm will play their first regular season game on May 14th against the Minnesota Lynx.

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Nika Muhl celebrates big accomplishment

While her WNBA debut might have been delayed, Nika Muhl celebrated a big accomplishment this week. She recently posted photos on Instagram to announce she has graduated from UConn. Along with being in a cap and gown, Muhl also has a basketball on her hip.

Muhl was one of three UConn women's players to graduate over the weekend. The WNBA was well represented at the ceremony as alumni and former Minnesota Lynx star Maya Moore gave a commencement speech.

Aside from her studies, Nika Muhl played basketball all four years at UConn. Th 5-foot-10 guard played in 131 games, averaging 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in that time. As a senior, Muhl averaged 6.9 PPG and 6.5 APG while shooting 40.2% from beyond the arc.

During her time at UConn, Muhl got to play alongside some talented women. Her teammate Aaliyah Edwards also declated for the draft this year, and was taken No. 6 overall by the Washington Mystics.

Another one of Muhl's notable teammates was Paige Bueckers. While she graduated with Muhl and Edwards this weekend, she did not make the decision to turn pro. Instead, Bueckers is spending one more year at UConn before likely being one of the top picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft.