The Portland Fire selected guard Nika Muhl from the Seattle Storm during Friday's 2026 WNBA expansion draft — despite knowing the former UConn standout will miss the entire 2026 season with a knee injury.
Muhl tore her right ACL during a March 11th EuroBasket qualifying game for Croatia. The 24-year-old subsequently underwent surgery on April 1st, just two days before the expansion draft kicked off.
The injury marks the second consecutive season-ending ACL tear for Muhl. She missed the entire 2025 campaign after tearing her left ACL while playing for Turkish club Besiktas in the FIBA SuperCup.
The Croatian guard appeared in only 16 games across two seasons with Seattle since the Storm drafted her 14th overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She averaged 2.8 minutes per game during her lone healthy season.
Despite the injury history, Portland sees long-term value in the 5-foot-11 point guard after she established herself as one of college basketball's premier defenders under UConn coach Geno Auriemma. The Fire's move suggests it views Muhl as a potential building block once she's fully recovered.
Muhl won Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors twice and earned All-Big East recognition for three straight seasons. Her defensive prowess shined brightest during the Huskies' 2024 NCAA tournament run. There, she shut down some of college basketball's top scorers including Syracuse's Dyaisha Fair and Iowa's Caitlin Clark.
Portland's expansion draft selection signals a patient approach, as Nika Muhl recovers from her second major knee injury in as many years. The Fire will open their inaugural season in May 2026.
