Portland Fire guard Nika Muhl returned to U.S. soil as she sits out a second consecutive WNBA season due to injuries.
On Monday, the Fire posted a video of Muhl on their Instagram, as she announced her return to America. In the video, the former UConn star expressed her excitement to finally join the Fire.
"What's up, Fire fans? It's Nika here," she said. "I've finally landed, and I'm just so grateful to be here. I'm excited to meet you all."
Muhl was originally selected by the Seattle Storm as a second-round draft pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and played 16 games with the team, but averaged only 3.6 minutes per contest.
Because of this, Muhl explored other opportunities in Europe, playing for Besiktas and Sopron Basket. Unfortunately, she suffered a left ACL and meniscus tear while abroad. This forced her to miss the entire 2025 season.
Muhl returned to Sopron Basket after completing her lengthy recovery. She then suited up for the Croatia National team in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Eurobasket Qualifiers but sustained another injury on her other leg, tearing her right ACL in March.
Despite these injuries, Portland still selected her as their 24th pick in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft in April. This allowed her to remain in the league while recovering from the latest injury.
Once cleared to play, Muhl will bring valuable playmaking and defense to the team. She is the all-time assists leader in UConn history with 686.
Muhl also bagged several other awards in college, including Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023 and AP All-American Honorable Mention in 2023 and 2024.
Although there’s no clear timetable for her return to the court — she has been ruled out for the entire 2026 season — Muhl will continue her rehabilitation and recovery with the Fire now that she's returned to the U.S.
