Nika Muhl drops 2-word reaction for $125,000 ex-teammate after Mercury departure

Seattle Storm guard Nika Muhl shared a heartfelt two-word reaction on Instagram to her former teammate Sami Whitcomb signing with the Phoenix Mercury. Whitcomb inked a one-year, $125,000 deal during free agency.

Muhl shared a post on Instagram by the Mercury announcing Whitcomb's signing:

"My Sami 💘❤️" Muhl captioned her IG story.

Nika Muhl drops two-word reaction to Sami Whitcomb's departure to Mercury (Image: @nika.muhl IG)

Whitcomb started her WNBA career with a four-year stint with the Seattle Storm from 2017 to 2020. She won championships in 2018 and 2020. The 5-foot-10 guard then took her talents to the New York Liberty for two seasons before returning to the Storm in 2023.

“Sami is a savvy guard who can spread the floor with her shooting and does all the little things,” Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren said in a press release. “Her veteran and championship experience will be a big boost to our team.”

Whitcomb averaged 5.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 40 games last season. She shot 34.6% from the field, including 29.2% from beyond the arc. The Storm secured the fifth seed before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces.

Nika Muhl shares her biggest surprise of playing professionally during conversation with Sami Whitcomb

Following the conclusion of the 2024 WNBA season in October, Nika Muhl revealed the most surprising part of her rookie season.

On the Seattle Storm's 'Dig Deep' series, she highlighted the difference between bouncing back from a loss in the WNBA compared to college. She noted that in college, she would be "depressed for like a week" until the next game, whereas in the WNBA, she had to quickly move on.

“I will say the most surprising thing for me was how quickly you have to get over a loss and get ready for the next game," Muhl said.

Nika Muhl was drafted 14th overall in 2024. She played 16 games in her rookie season, averaging only 3.6 minutes per game.

After the conclusion of the WNBA season, Muhl took her talents overseas to play for Besiktas in Turkey. However, she suffered an ACL tear in her first outing. With the injury expected to take at least 9-12 months to heal, it is unclear if she will be available for the Seattle Storm in the 2025 season.