Paige Bueckers, a UConn junior and former teammate of Nika Muhl, was one of the latest basketball stars to send an uplifting message of support after the WNBA rookie suffered an ACL tear during her first game overseas . The injury happened in her first action since her season ended with the Seattle Storm .
Taking to social media, Bueckers voiced her confidence in Muhl’s ability to come back stronger, writing on X, "Nothing my twin can’t overcome. Gonna destroy this comeback journey! God speed." Along with the message, Bueckers posted a photo of the two embracing each other with a hug after a Huskies game last season .
The Huskies junior guard restricted access to comments, allowing only those she followed to interact. Despite the limited direct replies, the outpouring of support was evident in the quote tweets, showing how much WNBA fans already value her mentality regarding encouraging her teammates.
One fan wrote, "No one is more supportive than Paige regarding teammates." Another WNBA fan shared the sentiment, tweeting, "Well, it seems like I’m gonna be crying myself to sleep." The messages summed up the overarching emotional connection that both Muhl and Huskies fans have with Bueckers and the inspiring way she backs those around her.
Muhl's injury occurred during Thursday's FIBA SuperCup Women's title match, where she played for Besiktas J.K. against Fenerbahce in Turkey. She was forced to leave the court after suffering an apparent knee injury in the third quarter , which required her to be stretchered off the court.
Before her injury, Muhl greatly impacted the game, finishing with 11 points, three rebounds, nine assists, and two steals. The Storm guard saw relatively little playing time during her rookie season after being selected with the No. 14 pick in the WNBA Draft.
Playing behind a talented backcourt that included Jewell Loyd , Skylar Diggins-Smith , Jordan Horston, and Sami Whitcomb, Muhl found herself on the bench more often than on the court. Appearing in just 15 games, she averaged a mere 3.6 minutes per contest and suffered initial visa issues, making it difficult to establish a rhythm or show her potential.
By the end of the season, Muhl scored two points on 14 shot attempts, and 11 of the tries were from beyond the arc. Despite limited opportunities, Muhl remained a supportive teammate and continued to gain notoriety for her high-fashion tunnel outfits before game day.
Muhl addressed her lack of playing time to the media after being asked about her feelings about watching from the sideline. "Has there been instances where I felt like I wanted to go out there and help? Absolutely. But I'm still a rookie," she said.
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"And I'm still putting myself in a position of learning. It was more of that eagerness of wanting to go out there and help my team in any way, shape, or form." Seattle finished the season with a 25-15 record, earning a No. 5 seed in the playoffs.
They were swept in two games in the first round against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
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