Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink and Angel Reese have all made their WNBA regular-season debuts, but one former college star has been sidelined for the start of the season.
Storm rookie Nika Muhl hasn't been eligible to play, leaving the team without its second-round pick after her impressive career at UConn.
Muhl gained a large following during her time with the Huskies, emerging as a defensive weapon for coach Geno Auriemma. A two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, Muhl averaged just 6.9 points per game as a senior but consistently impacted the game as a passer and defender in a way that appealed to WNBA teams.
Here's what you need to know about Muhl's status and when she's expected back on the court to make her WNBA debut.
MORE: Can Caitlin Clark be an All-Star in her WNBA rookie season?
Why isn't Nika Muhl playing?
Visa issues have kept Muhl off the court to start the 2024 WNBA season despite the rookie being in the U.S. and with the Storm.
Muhl was able to play basketball at UConn on a student visa, but the process changes for her now that she is no longer a student. Muhl is from Croatia and didn't arrive in the U.S. until she began her college career with the Huskies.
Muhl was able to play in the WNBA preseason on her student visa, appearing in one game and playing well off the bench with six points, three rebounds and two assists on 2-of-3 shooting. Not all second-round picks play right away, if they make the final roster at all, but Muhl's defensive tenacity always made it likely she could step right in and play a role for Seattle.
As the Storm awaited word on Muhl's availability, they were as uncertain as everyone else. The official team account on X, formerly Twitter, posted a video of Muhl captioned, "Ready for her debut," ahead of Tuesday's season opener, only for her to be forced to sit out. That tells you how little control Muhl or the team has had over the situation.
Ready for her debut 😎 pic.twitter.com/jHiNpeAeat
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) May 14, 2024
Muhl certainly seemed ready when she entered the venue Tuesday, so she figures to be raring to play the moment her work visa is approved.
When will Nika Muhl play for the Seattle Storm?
Muhl is expected to make her WNBA debut Wednesday against Clark and the Indiana Fever, according to The Next.
Muhl missed the first four games of the season, but she got her P-1 athlete visa approved, which allows her to play as early as Wednesday's game. Seattle went 1-3 through four games without their second-round pick.
MORE: How Sun shut down Caitlin Clark in WNBA debut
Seattle Storm upcoming schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| May 22 | vs. Fever | 10 p.m. |
| May 25 | vs. Mystics | 9 p.m. |
| May 28 | at Sky | 8 p.m. |
| May 30 | at Fever | 7 p.m. |
Muhl will make her debut at home in front of the Seattle fans. It'll also be a rematch of the 2024 Final Four in which Muhl's UConn Huskies played Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Storm remain at home for another game vs. the Mystics before going on two-game road trip to end the month.