Nika Muhl explains why she’s choosing EuroLeague over Unrivaled or AU this offseason, revealing her true basketball dream and love for European hoops.
So here’s the deal — Nika Muhl, one of the most popular WNBA players who, let’s be honest, hasn’t even really played that much in the league yet, just dropped a pretty honest reason for why she’s not suiting up in Unrivaled or Athletes Unlimited this offseason. And it actually makes a ton of sense once you hear her side of things.
First off, let’s be real — Muhl missed basically all of this WNBA season. And even if she had been healthy? With Noel Quinn’s rotation in Seattle, I don’t think we’d have seen her getting big minutes anyway. She’s on a rookie-scale deal, she’s cheap, and that makes her valuable to keep around. But when it comes to her offseason? Nika’s heart isn’t in the U.S. at all.
Nika Muhl’s Real Dream: EuroLeague Over WNBA Glitz
Here’s the part a lot of American fans just don’t get. Nika Muhl grew up in Croatia. And while plenty of kids in the U.S. grow up dreaming about the WNBA, that wasn’t her reality. She flat-out said it:
“My dream was never to play in the WNBA growing up. Of course it was there somewhere, but I never thought it would be possible. My dream was always to play in EuroLeague. That was my number one goal as a kid.”
Boom. There it is. For her, EuroLeague wasn’t just another option — it was the goal. The big stage. The dream.
Why Europe Feels Like Home to Muhl
What’s wild is how she described the difference between the U.S. and Europe. In America, she said everything feels luxurious — the resources, the facilities, the way things are set up. But Europe? Europe is raw basketball. Traditional workouts, traditional coaching, passionate fans.
And she loves it.
She talked about the atmosphere being unmatched. The fans, the intensity, the history of the game over there. Heck, in her very first professional game, the crowd got so rowdy that the match was abandoned. Like… literally stopped mid-game because of how wild the fans were. That’s the environment she grew up dreaming about.
Where She’s Playing This Year
Last year, Muhl was with Beşiktaş in Turkey — a club where the rivalry games are no joke. Now she’s signed with Sopron in Hungary, one of the top EuroLeague clubs. For anyone who doesn’t know, Hungary’s league isn’t weak. Sopron is legit. They’re going to be facing high-level competition night after night, and the arenas are going to be packed with fans who live and die for their teams.
This isn’t some “offseason side hustle” for her — this is her dream gig.
The EuroLeague vs. WNBA Debate
Now, let’s zoom out a bit. For years, EuroLeague was the place where the best players in the world played. Forget the Aces in 2023 — there were Russian teams back in the day that had rosters with Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike, Emma Meesseman, Satou Sabally, and more, all on the same squad. That was where the money was. That was where the best basketball was.
So when Nika Muhl says EuroLeague is her dream, she’s not just making something up. That’s literally what she grew up watching. Why would she stay up at 3 a.m. in Croatia to watch the WNBA when all her favorite WNBA stars were playing in Europe anyway?
The New Reality
Of course, things are shifting now. The WNBA is the pinnacle today. The crowds are bigger, the media coverage is blowing up, and teams like the Fever and Valkyries are proving women’s hoops can sell out arenas consistently in the U.S.
But for Nika Muhl, the connection to Europe is too strong. It’s not about chasing the spotlight or the newest offseason league in America. It’s about fulfilling the dream she had since she was a kid: stepping on the EuroLeague stage, battling in those intense rivalries, and feeling the energy of 15,000 screaming fans in a packed European arena.
Final Thoughts
So yeah — if you’re wondering why Nika Muhl isn’t in Unrivaled or AU this offseason, the answer is simple: those leagues were never her dream. EuroLeague was.
And honestly? You’ve got to respect it.
She might not be getting big minutes in Seattle yet, but overseas she’s a star in her own right. For her, this isn’t a step down. This is the step she’s always wanted to take.
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